[Recommended Song]: Stone Cold by: Demi Lovato
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-The Next Morning-

"DEAD BODY!!!"

A loud morning shriek disturbed everyone's peaceful sleep.

In one blink of an eye, a crowd of students had already gathered around a tree where the cold corpse was buried. It was a body of a pupil in San Vedra.

"Oh, God..." Callista gasped, she felt nauseous about the scene in front of her. "Kiara, let's go get my brothers."

Kiara followed her girlfriend to the tent. "Kai, Kai, are you in there? Zack?"

"Calli, Kiara, I'm here." Zack hummed from behind, he looked worried.

"Jiejie!! Have you seen Jonathan? Seb? Anywhere?!" Elijah was in distress. Jace was chasing him everywhere, trying to keep him safe while finding the two youngsters.

"Love, stay down, damn." Jace panted, "there's a cold corpse over there."

"Jace, that doesn't help!" Elijah exclaimed, he was already freaking out.

"Jahjah, calm down," The other three, (Dominic, Kai, and Tris) all said.

Jace hugged Elijah until he settles. "They might be anywhere, Jah, it's okay, calm down."

"Gege, look at this," Said Kai, handing Jace the letter. It was a letter written to him. He opened it and read;

To: Jace Jimenez Xiao

Gege, I know you're bewildered why can't you find us near San Vedra anymore; we've decided to go. The game of the Dollmaster is starting, we cannot interfere with it. We might help you in some ways but it depends on your situation. The first signal is death. If one of these groups of students dies, start being alert- anyone could be next, Zàijiàn is no exception.

PS: We're going back to our original building; you find us there and use the phone we gave you for contact. We'll be reaching out using that phone if need something as well.

Building address: Saihuan building ******* floor 7.

-From Seb & Nathan

"That building address sounds familiar-" Kai says as he thinks for a little while. It then snapped at him. "The building was near San Vedra University- an abandoned building used for a so-called 'project'. I don't know what that is, of course."

"We should try to excuse ourselves to visit them, I'm like a worried witch here, besides Elijah," Dominic proffered; they agreed.

"Or, they don't take daily attendances, let's just run." Tris scoffed, and Dominic gave a weird look of disapproval.

Zack shook his head; "I can't believe I'm saying this but, let's just run. Principal Nie might not allow us to go, remember, the school's on lockdown."

"Then, go, I'm not going," Dominic said firmly as he stood. "I'm not jumping, running, or hiding somewhere like I'm in a parkour- never."

"Since Tris suggested this, trust him," Kiara suggested to Dom. "Everyone agreed to the idea, Dom. I mean, Nathan and Seb are part of us now that we know they are somehow connected to Jace and Elijah."

"Bro, just assure him, you recommended the idea." Kai sighed. "Callista-jiejie has Kiara, Jace-gege has Elijah." He reasoned, but Tris cuts him.

"And what about you?"

"I got him covered." Zack interrupted with a slight nod.

Tris tilted his head. "Oh, really now? What am I supposed to say? 'Baby, don't worry, I'm here, I'm going to keep you safe.' The heck? I'm going to keep my shit together, no." He brushed it off.

"You can say something like that- but, come on!" Kiara pleads; "You know, you and Dom are close-"

"That doesn't mean I will give him that assurance you're asking me."

"Fine," Elijah groaned miserably. He was tired of trying to persuade his brother to do so, he just let it slide. "If anything happens to Dominic, though, I will chop your head off."

Poor Dom, he was just dragged by the pleads of his best friend. The squad went inside an abandoned garden. The plants were no longer to be found, some of the leaves which were previously rested on the trees' beautiful brown branches were now just scattered; they were piled outside.

"This garden used to be a beauty, I suppose," Callista murmured while her hands intertwined with her girlfriend's.

Kiara agreed; "From the gate's structure, this could be a royal garden. I don't get how could some people abandon such a great gift of nature."

"The garden was abandoned long ago after this university transformed into itself," Zack informed, noticing the topic. "And, yes, it was truly a beautiful one before the new owners... ah, ruined it."

"The view's very pretty, I wish I'd known this sooner, lol," Kai commented as his eyes wandered.

"Blood enfolds the shore..." A voice sang from a distance, disturbing the squad's restful walk.

"Did you hear that?" Elijah stopped his steps. "I heard someone sing."

Jace took a glance over his boyfriend. "I heard it as well, it might be an echo."

"Everyone keep in touch!" Elijah glanced at his back. "We're jumping off the ga-"

"Tris and Dom, they're gone!" Callista exclaimed. "They were here a moment ago-"

"Fuck it then, they're missing," Kai murmured as he looked back.

"We're not missing, idiots. We're here!" Tris exclaimed, his hand was on top, intertwined with Dom's. "Hurry up and just jump over that gate."

Jace chuckles as he climbed over the gate. Prepared, he landed safely on the dirty ground on his feet.

Elijah did it next, amazing his boyfriend.

"I didn't know you could climb this high up." Said the other, completely astonished.

The younger scoffs; "You aren't comparing me to those fairytale men and women trope, even the male to male ones, are you?"

"I'm not, I'm just a-"

"As expected, darling, you choked on your own words."

Elijah giggled, he helped the remaining ones carefully to jump.

Except for Dominic who chose Tris to help him. That got Elijah frowning, but, that's okay- he still has Jace.

When everyone had jumped, the squad proceeded with their walk. On their way, they heard someone following them, and they stopped. Dominic clenched his necklace, ready to fight.

When they turned...

"Go fucking easy, whoah."

That voice struck them to a quick realization.

[Yang Zi will portray Diana this time. I don't want to make her a villain since in most of the stories I've read, she's always the one who separates MCs.]

-----

"Diana? What are you doing here?!" Jace almost yelled with a slight yelp in shock.

"My sister..." Diana panted as she lifted her phone. A red light was flickering on it. "My sister's been gone for a long time. The light flickered on my phone, it means she's near. She could be at that building to wherever you guys are going."

"Does principal Lixin know that you went out?" Asked Elijah in a worried and warm tone. "You do know the consequences, right?"

Diana hummed. "I know, but, neither of you asked permission too. You knew how the guards are super strict when it comes to the rules."

"Mhm, alright, let's just go on," Zack responded, unsure. Only Jace and Elijah knew Diana that well, and the older one has trust issues. Judging by the looks and closeness of the three, though, it looked like Diana was completely different from Angelo.

-At the building-

"What? Is it Jonathan's child, then?" Atheena asked her brother. She had just finished cleaning up the tools used for the labor.

[ Zhou Ye as: ]

Name: Atheena Yuri Grayson

Age: 27

Relation: Damon's sister (older), a friend

----

"How did that child become mine?" Jonathan tilted his head while fixing his posture. "I and Seb knew Dimitri since childhood, we've been with her through ups and downs, except when she got adopted. She's the youngest amongst us."

"Nathan, he said you're the father- that you stopped her from leaving for her debut and took her to the club instead. I asked, that's what she said." Atheena replied with a sigh. She saw Seb trying to stop himself from throwing hands.

'Bad, this is... bad.' She thought to herself. Seb isn't that much of a talker with other people, and pushing his patience to the end will end someone else as well.

"Nathan doesn't have any responsibilities to that child," Seb said coldly. "Dimitri was still young when she spent time with us. She got adopted at age 10, she went out of the orphanage before we did. The sisters let us choose own our paths when we were eighteen. Dimitri just showed up now that she gave birth and just turned to her legal age."

"What's your point there, Seb?" Yskael asked and joined the conversation.

"That Dimitri's lying because we haven't seen her for years. We didn't even know she turned eighteen until she showed up." Jonathan seemed truthful, he didn't stutter and wasn't nervous. "I'm willing to give you my phone, you can search my bag or even go to the place where I've worked or the orphanage I stayed to. No girl came up to me and asked me to the bar."

"What's with the argument, boys?" A familiar voice said out loud. Jonathan and Seb felt relief and quickly ran to the anonymous people.

"Jace-gege..."

"Whoah, what happened to you, Nathan? Are you okay? What are you all talking about?"

Elijah kept Seb in his arms, confused. The others remained silent. "What happened in here, hm?"

"It's nothing," Seb took a deep breath. He finally felt comfort and calm. "What are you guys doing he-"

"Dimitri?!"

Diana went to her sister after seeing a child in her arms.

"Yanna..." Dimitri hugged back sobbing.

"This child, whose child is this?"

Dimitri bit her lower lip: "M-Mine and N-Nathan's... It's his child." she stuttered, Jonathan shook his head.

"DIMITRI, WHAT THE FUCK?!" Jonathan had lost it. The child wasn't his, he never went inside a bar, and Seb was there to begin with. the latter was more than enough. Jonathan could never betray his lover. "I TOLD YOU, I CONVINCED EVERYONE, EVEN IF I SWEAR TO GODS DEAD OR ALIVE- THAT IS NOT MY CHILD!!!!"

Jace pulled Nathan and shook him slowly. "Nathan, control your rage, this isn't how you should act."

"Ge...gege... I feel like I want to murder someone right now. That child isn't mine, it never was, to begin with." Jonathan's words were cut by his uncontrollable rage. This was the first time he couldn't control it.

Damon, Ezra, Atheena, and Yskael were astounded. This was the first time they'd seen Jonathan this mad.

Dimitri went close, her sister glared at her. "Nathan, why can't you see that it's y-"

"Shut up, motherfucker." Seb clenched his previously opened fists. "Why are you forcing that child on my boyfriend? Is it because the original father used you as a sex toy and you gave in? Did he leave you after you pleasure him?"

Elijah froze, even Diana. Jace chuckled as he looked at Seb. He murmured. "He's got a point though." The older's voice halted for a moment, then followed his words: "I didn't bond with Seb for nothing."

"Okay, Seb, you calm down, honey." Elijah cleared his throat after he gained his senses back.

"No, gege," Seb laughed; "The truth hurts, let her hear it." He paused for a while. "Does your sister even know you got pregnant at age eighteen? And that it's fucking impossible Jonathan's the father because you just showed up here without even telling us the story of your life?"

Dimitri slapped Seb hard.

"Enough!" Diana exclaimed. "Dimitri, you've been away since you turned eighteen- what's all this?!"

"I- I- Seb was slut shaming me! I know what I was doing, I swear that my fiancé loves me." Dimitri still fought for it. Maybe she was blind

"I wasn't- even if you ask all the people here, even your sister. If you think of yourself as someone who likes to hook up with more than one man, single or not, then you're probably slut-shaming yourself. One thing though, Jonathan isn't going to sustain that child himself because it isn't his. Don't worry, we'll gladly help you as a friend."

Sebastian was just being himself. He had enough. What Dimitri was doing is wrong, Seb knew that his boyfriend was already choking and tired of explaining. He grabbed his bow and arrow. "I hate to break it to you, Dimitri, but that man had already left you- he used you and toyed with you, then look where you are now."

Diana ended up scolding her sister. Jonathan spaced out to his and Seb's room to clear his head. Seb apologized for the sudden outburst and left.

"What the hell was that?" Kiara snuffed, she tried to digest everything that happened from the beginning. Dimitri could only weep in embarrassment. Seb had spoken the truth right on her face, Jonathan wasn't the father of the child- she was just passing the responsibility to someone else.

Dimitri's eyes were filled with tears. She glanced at her newborn baby. "What am I going to do with her now? I have no finances to buy her needs."

Elijah went to the teen girl. "Why did you do that? You know what you accused Jonathan of was very inappropriate, especially since he's in a relationship with Seb."

Dimitri's head lowered at the statement; "I wanted a good life for my child, and I know that Jonathan's the only one who could give that to her. It just struck me there, Seb was already with him."

Diana arched a brow, her eye twitched. "You tried to break them and took advantage of your friendship with Nathan? To what? So that when you two get together he'll take the responsibility of being the father instead of your ex?"

"I'm sorry..."

Jace took a deep breath; "You could've contacted your sister."

"Who are you even to her?" The teen asked in a low voice. "Her boyfriend?"

Tris' eyes went wide, he was ready to throw hands. "Okay, this girl is getting on my-"

"Tristan Harisson Wang, not on my watch," Dominic growls and pulled the other back. God, Tris was going to be a war freak because of overreacting.

"I'm not her boyfriend, I'm in a relationship with Elijah. The male you were talking to a while ago." Jace calmly stated. He prayed his patience was long enough to last with Diana's sister.

The female went silent. She realized who she was facing now, it was a famous vlog squad.

"Listen, Mimi," Diana sighed. "I don't know how or where did this all start, but, I'm going to have to send you to California."

"NO! Jie, I like it here, you can't just send me to California... Grandma will kill me." Dimitri begged.

Diana massaged her temples: "You just gave birth to a child, mei. I can't take you in, I don't have money- mom sustains me here for studies."

The younger sister gave in and sighed in defeat.

When night came, the squad helped cook meals.

"Ow..." Kiara groaned. She felt pain in her abdomen. "God, why does it have to come now?!"

"Come now? Come what now?!" Dominic asked, assisting Kiara. The female almost dropped the plate she was holding.

"JACE GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE AND CALL YOUR SISTER!" Zack yelled, it caused Jace to jump and run to her sister who was somewhere helping Elijah to cook.

"GuysIneedyourhelpKiara-jiejie'sinpain." Jace ran out of breath as he panted. Callista followed his brother who was panicking.

"What the heck? Why are you bleeding-?!"

Callista laughed out loud. "Oh, dear, HAHAHAHAHA," bewildered gazes stared at her. Atheena and Diana joined laughing with her as well.

"Why are you girls laughing?"

"I'm just- pfffttt," Diana wiped her tears. Callista was still amused, she helped Kiara to the comfort room.

"What... jiejie... why are you laughing?" Jonathan panted.

"Silly, Kiara-jiejie's on her red days or menstrual days. What are you guys even panicking for? HAHAHAHAHAHAH." Atheena laughed.

Tris, Zack, and Kai's expressions changed to a plain ones. "We were so worried, damn."

Playfully spinning his fork, Seb looked at the three grumpy-looking older males. "I forgot girls have red days, gosh- but, I'd be more surprised if a male gets pregnant."

"Seb, you always wish for the impossible." Ezra rolled his eyes at the other who smiled.

"I know it's impossible, that's why I said I'd be shocked if ever I see one."

-Callista & Kiara-

"Are you feeling okay?" Callista asked as she helped Kiara ease the pain.

The younger giggled at the pampering. "I'm fine, my period cramps were just not bonding with me, you don't need to do that."

"I could pamper you anytime I want, that's my privilege." Callista hummed lowering the compress which contained hot water in it.

Kiara felt distracted as she scanned her jiejie. "Privilege? No, no, no! I don't want to get pampered by you."

"Hup," Callista shushed. "I will pamper you because I want to, you don't have a choice."

Kiara's breath trembled. Her girlfriend was somehow messing her in some way, and she couldn't explain it.

'No, no, maintain your cute side.' She thought internally. She slowly felt tired.

---

"Jie...jie?" Kiara flinched, she looked around her to see that she was tied to the bed. "Wh-What?"

She felt someone fingering her, making her moan a little. "Aah, wh-who?"

When she looked down she saw herself being a mess. "Mei, wake up..."

"No... hah, w-wait... nghhh~ jie, don't stop-"

---

"Kiara, what happened?" Callista tilted her head.

Kiara looked at her, bewildered. "Where?"

"Why were you moaning my name? Don't stop what?"

Kiara felt her cheeks flush red, deep red. How could she be such an idiot to not remember? "A-Ah? Moan? You?"

"You were having wet dreams?" Callista laughed making Kiara blush even more.

"S-Stop! Not funny!"

"Oh my baby," Callista giggled. "It's normal, don't worry, as long as you aren't turned on."

"That's..."

Before the two could continue talking, there was a knock on their door.

"Jiejie, lunch is ready."

It was Kai, and as usual, he had his headphones on- playing games.

"Oh, and, Jace-gege told me we have to be home by night, or else, we'll be caught."

The two nodded as the door closed shut.

-----

Enough there for now- I still have my classes on September 15th 😭 I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

-xoxo: Ms. Khi 🦊