As the evening sun went into hiding, and twilight fell, leaving behind patches of scarlet and lilac lying inside the clouds, one after another, the street lamps outside lit up.

While baked bread and nighttime dinner of shrimp-noodle and casserole filtered throughout the three cross streets of the quiet neighborhood, the youngsters hurry home when their mothers yell out their names.

Soon, all doors were sealed shut, and all the windows locked. The scent of dinner no longer lingered - sealed within their respective homes.

However, inside Lan Zhan's home, there was no gathering by the table for nighttime dinner and no happy laughter to accompany along with it. Instead, the air, a quietness lingered. A calmness before the storm.

Upstairs in the attic where all the cardboard boxes and hidden drawers were, Wei Ying hissed for the tenth time when a speck of red appeared at the tip of his finger. A cut he'd received from the bottom cabinet while searching for something that might be of use to them when Xue Yang arrives.

Wei Ying sucked on his finger until the blood disappeared. Smiling gleefully at the lack of redness, he went back to rummaging through the cabinet stacked with chunks of uninteresting papers belonging to Lan Zhan.

Unbothered when the fragrance of richly aged sandalwood engulfed the tiny basement, Wei Ying began humming. A song all too familiar to Lan Zhan's ears.

The sound of Wei Ying humming made Lan Zhan stop in his tracks and staggered a step back, taken back by the sudden song as if Wei Ying made it simply for his ears.

Wei Ying listened, cheeks tinted pink, pleased by Lan Zhan's reaction. He knew the song had affected Lan Zhan since the first time he sang it. Although he never thought it'd play that much of an impact. As he continued humming and mouthing at the words, Lan Zhan's feet still stood grounded.

Wei Ying peered over his shoulder and smiled, all teeth. Unknowingly melting Lan Zhan's heart in the process. "So, are you just going to stand there and admire my handsomeness?" Wei Ying asked. "Or are you going to help me look for your secret stash?"

Lan Zhan smiled, sighed, and replied, "Did you find anything interesting?"

Wei Ying pouted, "No."

"You know, you never said the name of that song," Lan Zhan said as he took small steps toward Wei Ying, greeting him with a kiss to the lips.

"Hmm," Wei Ying hummed, satisfied. "That's because It's a secret, my Er Gege." Lan Zhan knitted his brows in displeasure. Isn't part of being soulmates meant never keeping secrets from each other?

Fortunately, Wei Ying immediately took notice and pinched the bridge of the stone-faced werewolf's nose. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Wei Ying laughed. "I never thought of a name. What do you think we should call it, Lan Zhan?"

Lan Zhan frowned deeper. "I. I don't understand. Call it?"

"Well, technically, it's my song," Wei Ying replied. "I made it up back when I was in foster care. Before Jiang Cheng's parents adopted me."

Instantly, Wei Ying's mind slipped into an ocean of memories from those bitter nights of being on the streets, chased by stray dogs while searching for scraps in dumpsters before being picked up one day and tossed into an orphanage like some wild animal, waiting to find its forever home.

It was there, swallowed up by loneliness at the young age of six, did Wei Ying start mouthing words under the sheets when the lights were switched off till he formed a melody. A melody that's been kept a secret up until that night when he found Lan Zhan crying inside his bed because of Xichen's injury.

"So," Wei Ying said. Clearing his throat. It wasn't the time to start pondering on memory lane. "What do you think we should name it, Lan Zhan?"

"Hmm," Lan Zhan hummed. "Surprise me."

"Pfft," Wei Ying shrugged, closing the cabinet door and heading near the wooden chest Lan Zhan caught him ransacking months ago when Wei Ying first had his werewolf suspicion. "I'll need some time to think about it."

"Take all the time you need," Lan Zhan replied, following behind Wei Ying. "Is there something specific you're looking for?"

"No, not really - Wait," Wei Ying stopped. "I got an idea. How about you come up with the name?"

"It's your song," Lan Zhan answered.

Wei Ying went through plenty at a young age. If a song was what brought him comfort in his troubling times, he knew Lan Zhan would not have any involvement in poisoning that memory no more than it already has poisoned Wei Ying's mind.

"Our song Er Gege," Wei Ying corrected. Shattering what little doubts that might've crossed Lan Zhan's overthinking mind.

"Tell you what," Wei Ying said. "If you could think of a name - any name. I'll sing it to you every day for the rest of our lives. Even when I get old and grey."

Intrigued, Lan Zhan said, "Every day?"

"Hmm," Wei Ying hummed, digging through the packed chest filled with trinkets and more documents. "Every day."

"Mark your words," Lan Zhan replied.

"Whatever." Wei Ying shrugged his shoulder, missing the twisted smug upon Lan Zhan's face. "I've been wondering, where did you put that sword? You know, the one you carried at the Cosplay convention. Your family heirloom -"

A faint knock at the door interrupted Wei Ying. "A'Zhan?" A voice called, mindful of entering despite the door being unlocked. It was Xichen.

"Yes, brother?" Lan Zhan voiced.

Xichen and Mingjue had been downstairs for most of the afternoon, sitting by the fireside, it's a wonder Xichen parted. Earlier - before boredom stuck, sending Lan Zhan off in search of Wei Ying, Lan Zhan had been with them, sharing conversations of past happenings.

It kept their minds distracted from a possibly devastating fate that would come knocking at the front door. None of them knew when Xue Yang and Song Lan would attack.

It might be tonight or tomorrow night. Next week, or even a year from now. But Xue Yang had been a ticking time bomb since he arrived in town, searching for Xichen. Killing Xiao Xingcheng might be just enough to send him exploding.

"I think it's time the two of you come downstairs," Xichen replied through the wooden wall. "Mingjue is making dinner, you should eat - both of you. It's getting late. It's best if we're all together. We don't know if anything will happen tonight - It's just. We should be safe."

"Don't worry Xichen-Ge," Wei Ying answered, fishing out a child's rattle drum and slamming the chest shut. A rather beaten-up wooden toy he found. The sides, that were once painted in bright red, faded almost completely off. And there were a few cracks to the base, nothing major.

For such a sour man who spends his days reading when no one's around, why did Lan Zhan even have a rattle drum?

Wei Ying figured it must've belonged to Lan Zhan as a child, so his face lit up at his newfound treasure. Surely if Lan Zhan doesn't want it, Wei Ying wouldn't mind pocketing the old souvenir.

"We're coming, right Lan Zhan?" Despite the sudden red tint coating Lan Zhan's ears, he nodded. "We'll be down in a minute."

Xichen sighed. "Alright, don't take too long."

Wei Ying listened until the pitter-patter of Xichen's feet vanished and the basement became silent once again. Back and forth, he rattled the drum, silently snickering as he went on, wanting to gain Lan Zhan's attention.

And he did, Lan Zhan twisted his head to the side, eyes gelled - following the wooden plaything in Wei Ying's hand, like a small child lost in a trance.

"I had forgotten about that," Lan Zhan said, fingers tracing against the rough wooden toy, smiling to himself. "When I moved here, I thought I searched everywhere. When I couldn't find it, I thought I'd lost it."

The tips of their fingers brushed when Wei Ying handed over the toy. It made Wei Ying smile to see Lan Zhan, so, in awe of a mere object. It must've brought him great joy as a child.

"Xichen gave it to me," Lan Zhan said. "I must've been around ten. It was one of the few toys I ever had."

The toy clanked in Lan Zhan's hand, his eyes never straying. Well, until he heard a faint laugher coming from Wei Ying. "Here," Lan Zhan said, placing the small drum inside Wei Ying's palm. "You can have it."

Followed by a soft sigh, Wei Ying chuckled and continued rattling the drum.

----------

Wei Ying slid down the rails of the stairs, and Lan Zhan took the steps, following behind until they reached the kitchen, drinking up the scent of stale, microwaved pizza. Gross. Mingjue must've picked it up at the supermarket, doesn't he know frozen pizza are the worst?

Wei Ying's face turned sour, pointing at the depressing slice of pizza sitting at the table. It didn't look at all appetizing to be honest. "Is that supposed to be dinner?" He asked.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan glared, greeting Xichen and Mingjue with a curd nod before sitting himself down. Wei Ying tsked, regretting not eating earlier.

However, despite twisting his nose, and forcing himself not to gag at the burning smell of box-pizza, Wei Ying faked a smile in Mingjue's way and ate his pizza in peace.

Sure he doesn't like instant food, but Lan Zhan's right. He shouldn't be complaining when his stomach had been grumbling for the past half an hour. Everyone in the house must've already heard.

None of them spoke at the table. Wei Ying knew Lan Zhan had a habit - or rule so to say; No talking while eating, but he never expected Xichen to also live by that rule.

However, this wasn't their first meal together, so Wei Ying knew better. It would be useless trying to form a conversation when the brothers were so strict. So, sighing to himself, Wei Ying continued nibbling at the tasteless dinner.

In the night's stillness, none of them knew they were being watched by vultures until the kitchen door toppled, sending debris flying everywhere. And like lightning, Xue Yang came barging through, a maddening snarl on his face.

The wooden floors tremble in Xue Yang's wake, and his eyes glowed red, making him appear demonic. None at the table had time to react when Xue Yang wrapped his frozen fingers around Wei Ying's neck in a death grip and hauled him outside in the backyard, slamming Wei Ying against the flower bed, lining the fence.

"Lan Zhan has taken everything from me!" Xue Yang bared his fangs.

Blade-like claws digging into Wei Ying's neck, penetrating the flesh, till blood oozed. Wei Ying choked, desperately struggling to pry Xue Yang's hands off. But this time wasn't like the last. Xue Yang's eyes burned with revenge. It made Wei Ying tremble when he should've been fearless in the face of fear.

"Now it's my turn to return the favor," Xue Yang said.

Xue Yang bared down, aiming for Wei Ying's throat with such vengeance. No doubt Xue Yang wanted him to suffer the same fate Xiao Xingchen did. Drowning in hopelessness, Wei Ying had no time to react. No time to reflect. No time for unspoken words. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Lan Zhan rushing toward him.

So close. Yet, so far away. Wei Ying would be dead before Lan Zhan arrives.