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Chapter Text

Ivan stared up at the artificial sky, the false grass underneath him softer than any blanket could be. He watched the lights above twinkle like stars, though he knew they weren’t the real kind. Real stars would be a million times more pretty…like Till’s icy blue eyes. Ivan looked over at Till and giggled as he saw Till glaring at the sky above. His friend always made the funniest expressions.

“I hate this place,” Till muttered, raking an annoyed hand through his silvery hair, “Why can’t we see the real sky?”

“Because it’s too pretty. We’d want to leave if we saw the real sky,” Ivan answered knowingly.

“I already want to leave, what’s the difference?”

“Hey…let’s pretend we are looking at the real sky. What do you think it looks like?”

Ivan always liked playing pretend…especially with Till. It was better to pretend. Better to believe they’d have a good future. That their voices weren’t the only reason they were alive.

“I bet the real sky is so covered in stars that it blinds you when you look at it,” Till said, looking over at Ivan with a mischievous grin that quickly faded, “If I were actually free though, I wouldn’t be staring at the sky.”

“Then what would you be doing?”

“Running. Running far away. Then I’d take a bath in a real river,” Till answered, “And I could find a girl and marry her.”

Ivan stuck his tongue out at that.

“Girls aren’t real! Even if they were, why would you want to be with a girl? Ick!”

Till sat up.

“They are TOO real! I saw one before!”

“Liar!”

“No I’m not!”

“Come on, Till, couldn’t you marry me?”

“Marry YOU?! But you always bully me!”

“You’re fun to bully!”

Till crossed his arms and pouted, but Ivan saw the blush Till was trying to hide.

“I’m not lying,” Till finally muttered, “I saw a girl once when I got in trouble. She was really pretty and had pink hair.”

“Pink hair?? Was she a princess?”

“No, stupid! Princesses aren’t real! Besides, she looked scared…like me.”

“Then maybe she is real. I believe you!” Ivan announced, “I wonder why that girl doesn’t live here with us.”

“I don’t know, but I hope we meet her someday,” Till replied.

Ivan hoped to the fake sky above that Till wouldn’t want to marry her if they did.

Ivan stared at the outfit left at his dressing room with a message pinned to the fabric that read: ‘Make me proud’, something left by his guardian Unsha, no doubt. He sighed through his teeth, not surprised Unsha hadn’t told him the message in person. He was nothing but a prized pet to his guardian, a pet he was betting on, so Ivan didn’t expect to hear anything resembling words of encouragement. After unpinning the paper message and tossing it, Ivan put his chosen outfit on. It was a handsome garment: a tight-fitting obsidian jacket and matching pants with an iridescent cream button-up. It was a safe ensemble that would match his stage personality, and he assumed the rest of the guys would be wearing something in corresponding colors. It looked lovely on him, especially when he combed back his hair, though being well-dressed didn’t change the fact that his singing would directly impact the lives of him and his friends…and Till.

When Ivan was older, he learned the truth. After the Aliens took over Earth and destroyed it, the wrath of an ancient god, who called himself Gwi-Ma, was awakened. Since it feasted on souls, which the Aliens did not have themselves, their choices were to bargain with ancient god or battle an army of demonic creatures over claim of the lowly humans. Obviously not anticipating Gwi-Ma’s strength and malevolence, the Aliens made a deal with him rather than attempt violence. In exchange for allowing their pet humans to stay alive and keeping his demons far away from them, the Aliens would sacrifice a group of humans every twenty years and have them perform a ritual to feed and strengthen Gwi-Ma. Gwi-Ma, also not in a great position to argue as the world he presided over was destroyed, accepted.

Over the years, the sacrificial ritual turned into a twisted gameshow for the Aliens’ enjoyment, which they called Alien Stage. The boys and girls were raised separately and pitted against each other in a battle to see which group would be sacrificed. Whoever the crowd favored, whoever was the most stunning, beautiful, and cold, they would live out the rest of their lives while the opposing group would have their souls sacrificed. It became a horrible sport of life and death: who would do anything to survive, and who would die trying?

The ones chosen for Alien Stage, the ones whose guardian offered them up like sheep to the altar, they were raised specifically to train their voices to sing beautifully and perform for their audience. That became part of the show too: the Aliens loved to watch the children grow and form relationships if only to add drama to the eventual competition. And the children who didn’t learn how to sing during that time…they disappeared forever. Ivan wasn’t exactly sure what happened to them, but he had a good guess their souls were given to Gwi-Ma without any of the usual pomp and circumstance. Once the chosen children were fully grown, that’s when Alien Stage began. 5 rounds in total, the first four only to entertain the audience and win their favor, the last performance the infamous Gut Ritual. The song that had given birth to Alien Stage. The song that determined who lived and who died.

But Ivan would not let his opponents win. Not when Till’s life was on the line. Till was his everything, his entire world. He’d do anything to win the competition if it meant Till could live on.

He adjusted himself while looking in the mirror, practicing his smile the way he had always been taught. Then, finally, it was time.

Ivan left his dressing room and met up with the rest of his group backstage. Luka, Hyunwoo, and Till all looked at Ivan expectantly when he joined them. As Ivan had guessed, all of them wore the same color combo: obsidian black and iridescent cream, though the styles were very different. Ivan grinned a little at Till’s iridescent t-shirt that he messily sprayed with paint, a little statement piece Till often liked to make to his clothes, his loose obsidian pants emphasizing his punk look. Unlike the others, Till also sported a collar that he had on him ever since he was little, something designed to tranquilize him if his heart rate rose too high. Till always had a habit of getting into trouble, especially with the Aliens. So, naturally, they fitted him with this collar to quickly drug him if they lost control of him. Ivan hated that thing, and had attempted many times to get it off of him, which only resulted in its mechanism triggering. So unfortunately, Till was stuck with it, but maybe if they won this thing he wouldn’t have to wear it anymore.

Ivan gave the others a passing glance, nodding approvingly at their clothing. Luka wore a frilly cream dress shirt made of shimmering silk, one that went well with his pale blonde hair and eyes, over tight-fitting black pants the same shade of black as everyone else. Hyun, on the other hand, wore a lustrous see-through jacket over a black tank top with cream pants. Despite the different styles, their outfits were cohesive enough to make them look like a team, which of course was very important. In order to win, all of them needed to be good. The competition depended on how well they worked as a team. Ivan had grown up with these guys, he trusted them to do their best…though there was always that little part of him that was afraid of what may happen if they didn’t work well together…

Till was tapping his feet impatiently, and though his expression appeared irritated and bored, Ivan knew he was nervous. And of course he was, they all had good reason to be. This moment in their lives determined whether they’d die young or live on. There was absolutely no room for error.

After a bit of tense waiting, someone finally announced their arrival over a mic. Ivan went around the left side of the stage, the others silently following suit, and took in a deep breath. This was it, this was their debut. Their very first impression. It had to be perfect. As soon as Ivan stepped foot in the public’s eye, the smile came on. His smile was practiced oh so well, a perfect mask with no cracks to be seen. He played his part as the polite, good-natured, quiet young man. The model of a perfect pet human. Till flicked off the audience as he joined Ivan, earning both cheers and boos from the crowd, while Hyunwoo and Luka dutifully made their own way onstage, waving to the crowd with separate charm. All of them knew how to play up the crowd, it was a survival skill. Ivan smiled at his team, proud of each of them, as they all bowed to the audience in greeting. The crowd went wild.

The announcer, a human woman wearing a crop-cut shirt and shorts with bouncy purple braids, then gestured to the right area of the stage, where their opponents lay in wait. Time seemed to slow down as Ivan watched the opposite corner of the stage, trying not to let his anxiety show. He had never met his opponents before, though he could imagine they were going to be a challenge. Since they were pet humans chosen specifically for Alien Stage, they had to be beautiful and wonderful at singing. There was no doubt about that. Ivan could only hope that whatever beauty and talent the girls possessed wouldn’t interfere with his team’s success.

Three girls around his age finally stepped out from behind the stage, commanding a powerful presence. All of them were indeed very beautiful, completely stunning in every meaning of the word. Each of them wore a short, tight dress with long sleeves in black and white, matching the boys perfectly. The crowd went wild at the sight of them, and though there were only three as opposed to the boys’ four, they had a ferocious energy about them that intimidated Ivan. His heart sank as they neared him, though he was careful to keep his face completely clear of expression as the audience’s eyes tore straight through him. This was going to be an even bigger challenge than he anticipated.

And the lead girl, one with striking pink hair that tugged disdainfully at Ivan’s memory, found Ivan’s gaze immediately. In her golden eyes, he only saw his own fiery determination staring back.

Chapter Text

The two groups bowed to each other while listening to the announcer wish them all a fair game, though in that moment Ivan felt anything but respect towards his opponents. The one staring daggers at him had been introduced as Mizi. Ivan knew without even glancing at Till that his attention had been completely captured by her, and that fact drove him mad more than anything else. The other two had been introduced as Sua and Hyuna. Sua was a very pale and slim girl with elegantly cut black hair that framed her face, her purple eyes dark with bitterness and sorrow. She did not smile, her expression was without a trace of emotion. Only her eyes revealed what lay beyond the surface. And Hyuna…she looked like a carbon copy of Hyunwoo. Both had tan skin, dark eyes, brown hair, and a fierce but easy expression. They both stared at one another, and Ivan immediately understood the cruelty. Identical twins, separated at birth, and raised against each other. His smile tightened. How could they be so cruel?

Of course, he already knew the answer. It made for good entertainment. And that’s all they were worth to the Aliens. Maybe it was easier since the two of them had never met. Despite the awfulness of the situation, Ivan hoped it wouldn’t affect Hyun’s ability to perform.

The boys and girls were forced to shake hands before making their way backstage once again. Ivan did his best to meet all of their eyes and give them a friendly smile. Mizi smiled sweetly, though it was only a mask like his, hiding the passionate resolve burning in her soul. Hyuna’s grin was easy and smooth, one perfectly rehearsed. And Sua barely lifted the ends of her mouth as they quickly shook hands and walked past each other. All three of them seemed incredibly threatening to Ivan. He tried to remind himself that his friends were well-trained, that he knew all of their strengths and even weaknesses when it came to song. They wouldn’t lose, they would win. It was four against three after all. So then why did he feel so intimidated by these girls?

The crowd cheered louder when Till and Mizi shook hands, then when Hyunwoo and Hyuna did the same. So cruel, why are they so cruel? Ivan thought, feeling disgusted by the Alien’s enjoyment. Once both groups had greeted one another, they were both ushered offstage to prepare for their songs. Thankfully, the backstage area was divided so that the guys and girls could remain separate, but that did nothing to ease Ivan’s worry.

“Did you see that girl?” Hyunwoo whispered to them once they were safely backstage, “She looked like she could be my sister…you don’t think they actually…?”

Nobody had the heart to admit it to him, but Hyun seemed to come to the correct conclusion all on his own. He sat down with his head in his hands, visibly shocked and unsure what to do with this information.

“Who cares?” Luka finally responded, “They’re strangers to us, what does it matter?”

Hyun shot Luka a revolted look, but Luka shrugged him off. Ivan had to agree, they couldn’t afford to let their emotions get involved. Better to view the girls as nothing but their opponents than to connect with them and end up throwing their own lives away.

Till’s eyes were glued to the TV in the back during this conversation, watching as the cameras displayed the announcer. His face was drawn in a scowl, glaring at the screen as if it had personally slighted him. Maybe it had. Ivan stepped beside him, tilting his head in silent question. Till rolled his eyes at Ivan, sighing heavily.

“Ever heard of personal space?” Till spat.

“What’s bothering you?” Ivan asked instead of answering him, getting straight to the point.

Till crossed his arms and turned back towards the TV, ignoring him. Ivan watched him closely, then guessed, “You don’t agree with Luka?”

Till softened, though he still did not look at Ivan.

“It’s just…it’s harder after seeing them. These are people, Ivan. People who will die if we win. And that girl Mizi…I’ve seen her before. I saw her when we were kids. I didn’t know that she was…”

He trailed off, and Ivan clutched his fists tightly together, heart sinking with dread. No, he couldn’t let Till think that way. It was dangerous to get attached. Humanity was their greatest weakness.

“Yes, they’re people. But so are we. And our futures are on the line, Till. Anything that gets in the way of our survival has to die. It’s a matter of three souls versus four. Don’t you think four souls living and three dying is better than the reverse?”

Till finally met Ivan’s eyes. He didn’t seem completely convinced, but after searching Ivan’s stony face, he nodded a little. Ivan relaxed in relief.

“Yeah…whatever,” Till muttered.

After smiling at Till for a second, the TV grabbed Ivan’s attention. The girls were up for their performance. The three of them walked up to the stage with grace and power, forming a triangle at the front of the stage, Hyuna surprisingly starting off as the lead. Microphones rose from the floor and right into the girl’s hands, then the music started. The sound of a guitar blared from the speakers, strumming in quick beats. Hyuna opened her mouth and beauty poured out, filling the entire building with the sound of youthful energy.

“ Your eyes grow wide at my dazzling entrance. And your heart beats fast OK. There’s no point in fighting back, this is the march of the fools. Endless cheers and applause, I hear the song grow louder and louder, fill up the entire nebula.”

Then Mizi and Sua’s sweet voices rang out like the bells of a church, melding together so well with Hyuna’s, “ Just laugh, hey, kick and break ya! To the galaxy shining bright, che-cheers! Change the game with a single action! Trust me, I’ll show you, chi-cheers! We only got one life, so I’m living mine for me, ‘cause I’m the one from your wildest dreams! I’ll create a fantasy in this crazy world, and change it all! I’m going all-in!”

The song was so perfect for their debut that Ivan was chewing his thumb with disdainful jealousy. The writing of the song was fantastic, the instrument choice perfect even if they weren’t playing it themselves, and their singing voices…

They were good. Too good. Good enough to warrant worry. And all throughout the performance, he only saw the tenacity shining in Mizi’s golden eyes.

The girls’ song changed the entire tone of the place, creating a buzzing excitement that seemed to electrify the air itself. They finished with a bang, and as expected, the audience lost their mind. Ivan bit his thumb so hard he broke his nail, storming away from the screen that was broadcasting his opponent’s victorious smile. Thankfully, the song the boys had chosen for their debut was fast-paced and exciting as well, one Till had written specifically for today. He even brought his guitar, intending to create the backing track himself. Or at least he was going to do it himself, until Luka offered bringing his violin. Both of them would be creating their sound, which at least separated them from the girls. Ivan hoped their instruments would make their performance more impressive rather than become a detriment.

Ivan waited with bated breath for the announcer to welcome them to the stage, Till and Luka preparing their instruments for use. After a short ‘commecial break’, it was time for their debut. The announcer called them upstage, and so they went. The crowd roared as they entered the stage, having waited twenty years to watch them perform. Till and Ivan stood at the front, facing the audience, Luka and Hyun flanking their sides slightly behind them.

They stood there for a moment, preparing themselves. Ivan steadied his breathing as he glanced around the crowd, taking in all the horrible Alien faces. He was not afraid of them, no, he was only afraid of what they could take from him. He took in a deep breath as Till played the first chord.

The electric guitar rang out, starting the beat. Luka’s violin followed soon after, the instruments introducing the crowd to their song.

“ Come on!”

The guitar strummed dutifully, carrying Till’s passion towards the onlookers, the violin backing him up. The audience was already on the edge of their seat.

Till began, “ Nothing was my everything.”

Then Luka, “ The melody that filled the empty me.”

And Hyun, “ It’s you, alright.”

Ivan’s turn, “ My feelings are—”

“ Error! No better options!” All of them roared.

Their song was a tiger pacing around a panther, mimicking its movements with better energy and accuracy. They were trained for this. Ivan felt completely confident in that moment. They would win, no doubt about it. The crowd would only remember the ending performance: theirs. They’d rip out the throats of their opponents and remind the Aliens which of them deserved freedom.

“ A shaking paradigm,” Till’s voice carried far.

“I don’t care if my world turns upside down!” Ivan sang with his heart.

“I wanna know all about you, ya!” they all bellowed as one, “ No more takin’ it slow!”

“The edelweiss of my feelings that blossomed because of you,” Ivan continued.

And then the guitar and violin announced their chorus with a crackle of thunder.

“ I don’t wanna stop! Don’t think this time’s enough! Cause you baby still it’s not enough for me alright! Don’t leave me, li li da da da. Cause you baby still it’s not enough! How dare you think this time’s enough! Ain’t nobody but you’re the one that I’m feeling! It’s love! Don’t be afraid, come on!”

This was their anthem, their reply to the girls’ performance. They were stomping their song into the ground. Ivan’s heart swelled with appreciation and love for Till, so proud of him for writing this song. And before Ivan knew it, it was over, ending as abruptly as it began.

“ I can’t refuse ! Overdose!”

The audience was frozen for a second in awe, then erupted into thunderous applause. Ivan’s smile was genuine, feeling so incredibly proud of his friends, soaking in the cheers from the crowd. They had gained the audience’s favor, and Ivan was through the moon. They bowed to the audience, then dismounted the stage.

Just like that, their first round was over. Only four more to go…

Normally, their food was delivered to what Till like to call the Fishbowl: the place where they were raised. He liked to call it that name because in a way, it was sort of a fishbowl for people. It had a fake sky with artificial grass, trees, flowers, and even a river. It was designed to look like a meadow with a few ‘houses’ scattered around, houses that each of the boys had claimed long ago and lived in, to make their containment seem bigger. The Aliens assumed humans needed an enriching environment that simulated nature to keep them well behaved and safe. Maybe it wasn’t so bad as a kid, but the older they got, the smaller the Fishbowl became. It felt more and more like a cage each passing day.

Tonight though, to celebrate their victory, the boys were taken to a special dining room to eat a deliciously prepared feast. It was a wonderful dinner of roasted chicken, buttery vegetables, scalloped potatoes, and tray after tray of different sweets. All of it was food that grew on Earth, as humans could only eat certain Alien foods. Ivan remembered learning that humans almost went completely extinct in the early days until the Aliens learned how to feed their humans properly. They ended up growing human crops on their planet and raising Earth animals, as it was a lot easier to feed humans what they had always been meant to eat. Now there were many farms established and even sometimes run by humans where Aliens could buy their pet humans food.

Needless to say, this spread was downright heavenly.

Relieved from their success and completely famished after all that stress, the boys all went to work devouring most of the feast before them. It seemed only Hyun struggled to eat his fill, appearing guilty, though Ivan ignored him, wanting to celebrate rather than feel gloomy.

“Your song turned out great, Till!” Ivan congratulated his friend, choosing the moment Till bit into a juicy chicken leg to say it, knowing he wouldn’t be able to respond, “Everyone did well, you and Luka especially! The instruments were a perfect addition!”

“Yes, I think it was the wonderful start to the competition,” Luka dreamily agreed, taking a slow bite of some kind of cake.

Till scowled at Ivan as he chewed, but Ivan only smiled sweetly in response.

“It’s whatever,” Till finally said after swallowing, “I’m just glad it didn’t suck.”

“It was great,” Hyun said detachedly, throwing his fork at his plate and standing up, “Let me know when you come up with the next song, Till.” Then he stormed off into one of the white hallways outside the dining room, one of the nearby guards hurriedly catching up with him to escort him to the Fishbowl.

Luka laughed, shaking his head as he swallowed another bite, “Our success must have upset him. More food for us then.”

Ivan’s smile fell as he stared with displeasure after Hyun, gripping his fork and knife tightly. He reassured himself that Hyun would get over it, that he’d eventually understand their survival was at stake. But If Hyun cost them the next round just because of a few strangers’ lives, there would be hell to pay. Maybe it was heartless, but Ivan wasn’t concerned about the girls. Even if he knew his success meant their sacrifice, he didn’t care. All he wanted was to keep Till alive, to protect his soul. He only hoped the others wouldn’t get in the way of that.

Till looked down at his plate, no longer indulging in their meal. He said nothing in response to Luka, though Ivan knew Till was most likely on Hyun’s side, even if he did nothing to show it. Till had a big heart, of course he wouldn’t be happy letting his opponents die. But how could Ivan stand there and let his love perish? No. It won’t happen. Not if he could do something about it. Even if it ended up making Till upset, Ivan would do whatever it took to ensure victory.

Ivan and Luka finished eating in silence, then the three of them were escorted back to the Fishbowl. Luka went to his house, Hyunwoo was nowhere to be seen, and Till headed towards his favorite tree: the one closest to the river. Ivan decided to follow after him, wanting to be with the person he loved most. He knew there was a lot on his mind and Ivan wanted to be there for him.

Till halted at the trunk of the tree, looking up at the twinkling lights disguised as stars.

“Why are you following me?” Till asked the digital sky.

Ivan leaned against the tree, resting his head against the rough bark.

“Do you really have to ask?” he countered.

Till was silent after that, looking down at his shoes. They still were wearing their flashy outfits, the iridescent material of their shirts glowing in the moonlight. But rather than going home to change, Ivan laid down in the grass, settling on the soft blades of green. After a moment, Till joined him, lying beside him in the grass like they always did when they were kids. This time, Ivan grabbed Till’s hand, holding it tightly. Glancing over, Ivan caught Till blush and heard him take in a bit of surprised air through his nose. But to his surprise, Till didn’t pull away. Ivan smiled a little, happy he was allowed this small moment of pleasure even if Till didn’t reciprocate his feelings.

“Do you ever wonder what the real sky looks like? Or what kind of things sit behind our walls?” Ivan decided to ask, enjoying the roughness of Till’s hand.

Till took a moment to reply, still reeling from the surprise of having his hand in Ivan’s, but he finally answered, “All the time. It can’t look as beautiful as Earth did, but it has to be better than here.”

Ivan looked back at the false sky, “Sometimes I think the real sky will be beautiful. Other times I think that this is the only beautiful place left in the universe.”

Till watched Ivan closely, unsure what to say to that. Ivan closed his eyes, completely relaxed beside his dearest love. Till was quiet for a long time, long enough for Ivan to be in danger of falling asleep. The air was cool, the grass was soft, Till’s hand was so warm…

“You know what? I think our next song should be…what did they call it back in the day? A ‘diss track’?” Till suddenly offered, “A song about how much better we are than the other team. It might win us some favor.”

Ivan chuckled a little, a bit surprised.

“You sound ancient saying those words. ‘Diss track’,” he repeated teasingly, voice a bit deeper from exhaustion, “I love it. It’s a great idea.”

“We did so well today, we should keep the momentum going,” Till said as if he needed to explain himself, “And…you’re probably right. What you said before our song, I mean. It’s a competition that could cost us our lives, our futures are on the line . It’s not our fault if the others fail…”

Desperate justification, Ivan recognized it from a mile away. He was glad Till was listening to him, but it was clear he didn’t truly believe in it.

“You’re absolutely right,” Ivan quickly agreed, opening his eyes to look over at Till, “Whatever happens is not our fault, we can only do our best and hope for a positive outcome. I think your idea for our next song is brilliant.”

Till didn’t say anything, but he looked away, seemingly troubled. Ivan watched him until his eyelids became too heavy to keep open. He drifted off to sleep in the moonlight, still tightly holding on to Till’s hand, an anchor keeping him from being lost in the wake of his dreams.

Chapter Text

Till hummed a tune as he wrote some words in his sketchbook, tapping his foot to an imaginary beat. Ivan loved watching Till’s process of writing songs, it was always adorable seeing how his mind worked.

The two of them were sitting across from each other at a wooden picnic table, one that the Aliens had provided long ago after the boys had complained about not having anywhere to sit outside, both of them basking in artificial sunlight. It was hot like what Ivan imagined a real summer day would be like, though not hot enough to be too uncomfortable. A perfectly pleasant temperature.

“What do you think of “Your moment won’t ever come again, our party’s getting started, and we’re going crazy high”?” Till asked, singing the lyrics for Ivan.

Ivan only smiled at him in answer. Till rolled his eyes, growling, “Are you even listening? Take this seriously, dummy!”

“Oh, I’m taking it seriously,” Ivan teasingly reassured him, “Is it a crime to enjoy listening to you sing? But yes, I think that’s a good start.”

Till gave Ivan a withering glare, but Ivan only snickered and urged him to keep going.

“Fine, just listen! I personally really like the chorus: “Oh in a blink gone! Forget everything and just enjoy it. Oh in a blink gone! Don’t miss our moment! I’m tellin’ you blink, gone! You better not leave any regrets! The clock goes tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, blink, gone!” Does that convey our message well?”

Ivan nodded, trying so hard not to be completely enamored with Till’s singing voice.

“Yes, I think the audience will love it,” he agreed, watching Till scribble a correction into his sketchbook.

They had a week before their next song, so they had to have this written, memorized, and practiced by then. They could’ve already had all of their songs ready, like others have in past Alien Stage competitions, but this method worked for them. Till preferred being the one to write the songs, he liked to plan each one as they went to ‘set the vibe’ and to ‘keep things fresh’. And who were they to argue? He was a god when it came to writing music, it was his passion and his greatest talent.

Alien Stage participants were always allowed to choose their songs, though the Aliens always had a back-up picked out if they didn’t want to. The only song they were not allowed to choose was their final song: Your Idol. It was the Earth-old song that was used to perform the Gut ritual, the ritual that strengthened Gwi-Ma and would end in souls being sacrificed. It was said that the demons wrote Your Idol themselves…after all, who was better at writing a ritualistic song than a demon? Ivan’s heart sank as an image of Till’s soul leaving his body flashed through his mind, but he shook himself out of it, trying to stay focused on the present.

“I hope Hyunwoo will be okay singing this,” Till muttered, scratching his head with the eraser of his pencil, “It would be hard going against a sibling. Even if you never met.”


“True…but would you sacrifice yourself for a stranger, even if you were related by blood?” Ivan questioned, putting a head in his hand.

Till didn’t answer, staring at the lyrics he wrote.

“Maybe this isn’t a good idea —"

“Hey, what are you guys up to?” Luka called, waving at them as he exited his house.

Ivan waved him over, happy for the interruption, “Till’s working on our next song, come and see!”

Luka joined them at the picnic table, sitting next to Till, looking over his shoulder at the pages. He smiled at the words, nodding approvingly.

“This is good, though if you’re meaning to upstage the girls, you may want to make the insults…more insulting,” Luka suggested, then pointed at one of the pages, “See, this part would be a lot better if it said, “Lift up your hands and give yourselves over to Gwi-Ma…””

Till’s breath caught, appearing uncomfortable with the suggestion. Despite his discomfort, he wrote something down in his sketchbook anyway and said, “Yeah…you’re probably right. That flows well too.”

Luka laughed a little, “The song already looks fun! I bet Hyun really isn’t going to like it!”

With that, Till closed the sketchbook and announced, “I’m going to take a break for lunch.”

He stood up abruptly and left the table. This time, Ivan didn’t go after him. As much as he wanted to, he knew Till needed some space, and Ivan would respect that. His eyes flickered over to Luka with irritation, a bit miffed that Luka had pushed Till like that.

Luka sighed dramatically, “I don’t understand why those two seem so upset. We’ve been preparing for this moment our whole lives, and now when it’s finally here they decide to crack? Unbelievable.”

“They’re only human, Luka,” Ivan said evenly.

“Then what are we?”

Good question, Ivan thought with an inward sigh. Maybe monsters. Or animals. Perhaps ignoring humanity made them about as good as an Alien. But Ivan didn’t care about any of that. What he did care about was what he was to Till. Certainly a friend, but was there more to it? Did Till even pick up on his intentions, or was he purposely ignoring them? It would be nice to share a kiss with his loved one before he faced death…though maybe there was hope. After all, Till did let him take his hand last night.

Ivan stood up, putting a leg over the picnic table’s bench. “Whatever we are, right now I’m hungry. See you.”

Luka seemed a bit disappointed, giving Ivan a half-hearted wave as he stayed sitting at the picnic table, inspecting his bluish fingers. Ivan made his way to his house, hoping that Till and Hyunwoo would both feel better after a bit of self-reflection.

Till abruptly stopped strumming his guitar, rolling his eyes.

“Luka, if you really want to be front and center for this song, you need to stay on tempo!” he shouted, losing patience, “You’ll be up there with me, you need to match me!”

Luka levelled Till with a withering glare, “If anyone is off tempo, that would be you. You can’t change the pace without warning and expect it to sound decent.”

“I’m not changing pace!” Till exclaimed, “Fine, let’s try it again!”

Ivan tried to hide his smile as he imagined steam spouting from Till’s ears. Luka shrugged off Till’s fury and smiled charmingly.

“Yes, let’s. Start us off, then!”

Till rolled his eyes again and pounded a beat on the side of his guitar. One, two, three, four. One, two, three —

“Oh in a blink gone. Blink gone. You should let go, now. Blink and gone. The clock goes tick, tock, tick, tock, tick tock. Please, just enjoy it. Blink, gone. Oh in a blink, gone!” Till started them off, “Let’s go!”

“Today, your moment won’t ever come again. Our party’s getting started, and we’re going crazy high!” Ivan sang.

“Lift up your hands and give yourselves over to Gwi-Ma!” Till continued.

“Now, right now!” all of them intoned.

“Victory’s ours! You can’t handle what we’ve built up these years, you won’t tear us down now!” Luka’s beautiful voice rang out like an angel of death.

“And we grin before piercing your souls with our tongues…”

Everyone stopped singing, turning towards Hyun. His voice was so quiet and halfhearted it had completely destroyed the energy of the song. At least he actually sang his part this time…though his voice was a sound for sore ears.

“Hyun —” Till began.

“I don’t think this is right,” Hyun interrupted, crossing his arms, “Come on, out of all of the songs we could be singing…why does it have to be this?”

“We don’t have time to rewrite it,” Ivan quickly interjected, “The way the song is now…we can guarantee it will give us favor with our audience. Even if you somehow came up with a better song, we only have a few more days left before the next round. So, are you with us, or should we perform without you?”

Hyun suddenly had the expression of a deer caught in headlights as he looked at three displeased faces. It was clear that Hyun hadn’t fully considered what it meant if they didn’t give it their all. But threatening to throw him to the wolves seemed to change his tune, as he visibly swallowed hard and shook his head.

“Sorry, no, let me try again.”

Ivan blew out a relived breath, the others also relaxing a bit. Till put down his guitar and walked over to Hyun, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Look, I know it’s not easy, especially not for you, but it’s them or us,” Till told him quietly, “Whatever happens isn’t our fault, but we have to at least try.”

Hyun nodded weakly, practically forced to agree. After all, could he really trade the lives of the people who grew up with him for a long-lost sister?

Ivan was so proud of Till for doing the right thing and standing up for their lives, even if he didn’t exactly feel comfortable with it either.

“Alright, let’s start again!”

The group practiced for the rest of the day and well into the night. After getting some sleep, they started up again the next day. And again, and again, and again…they practiced for hours each day before the performance. They used every bit of the time they had to hone their song into a piercing blade, wielding it like a weapon. They gave it their all each time, though Ivan was starting to wonder how much it would take to make Hyun and Till’s will crumble. Despite their incredible talent, Ivan swore he could hear doubt in the very words of the song they were singing…

Chapter Text

The night of their performance finally came, and it came with more surprises than Ivan would have ever expected. Three of them, to be exact, standing in the wrong section of the backstage area.

“Hello!” Mizi greeted, smiling sweetly at the boys with Hyuna and Sua at her sides, “Sorry to bother you, but your performance was so amazing last round…we just had to meet you!”

Ivan was instantly on guard, glaring at these intruders, though Till and Hyunwoo seemed to melt at the sight of these women. The three of them were dressed in pure white, with a simple crop top and tight shorts underneath an ornate jacket shimmering with gold accents. Their faces were flecked with gold, makeup painted to make them look even more stunning than before. Ivan hated how good they looked. Meanwhile, the guys had been assigned to wear white tunics over golden pants in various styles similar to yesterday, matching their colors, yet nowhere near as godly as these three appeared. This was already not looking good for them…

“Oh yeah? You should thank this guy, he writes our songs!” Hyun announced, jabbing a blushing Till with his elbow, “He’s really good.”

“Really?” Mizi asked, taking Till’s hand and shaking it, “Wow, what an honor to meet you, Till! That was your name, wasn’t it? You’re so talented!”

“T-thanks,” Till stammered, completely red-faced.

Ivan quickly stepped forward and practically shoved himself between the two, giving Mizi his best false smile as he extended a hand, “I’m Ivan, pleasure to meet you, Mizi!”

“The pleasure’s all mine!”

Mizi shook his hand, that fire alight in her eyes just as it always had been, and for a moment he wondered if she could see his own passion burning behind his gaze. He hoped so, he hoped she recognized that he wanted her to stay away from Till.

“What are you three doing here?” Luka asked plainly, voice sounding mildly irritated if not bored, “Don’t you have practicing to do?”

“Like Mizi said, it didn’t feel fair not to get to know our competition!” Hyuna answered, putting her arm around Luka’s shoulders with a sharp grin, “Besides, we’ve never met guys before. And after meeting you…well, we’ve been missing the hell out!”

To Ivan’s complete shock, Luka started blushing, suddenly all flustered like a schoolboy, his eyes completely locked on Hyuna’s. Did they really win over Luka so easily?

We’re doomed, Ivan thought begrudgingly.

“Right…how nice of you,” Ivan said under his breath, his plastered smile feeling like it was about to crack. He stepped away from Mizi only to be ambushed by Sua.

“Honestly, it’s been so difficult growing up with just the three of us,” Sua murmured, taking Ivan’s hand and pulling him away from Mizi, “Isn’t it just unfair to know we might have been friends? There’s so many shared experiences I’m sure we could discuss…”

Sua met Ivan’s eyes, and Ivan tried his hardest not to glare at her. What were they up to? Obviously the girls weren’t just greeting their opponents…what was their angle?

“Right, well, though these pleasantries are nice and all, we have to get ready for our song,” Ivan said loudly, hoping everyone would hear.

Unfortunately, his announcement fell on deaf ears. Mizi and Till were speaking with each other quietly, Hyunwoo began talking to Hyuna while Luka stared at her like she was an angel, and Sua was still clutching Ivan’s hand, sort of trapping him there. Ivan couldn’t be less interested in any of these women, so he pulled his hand away, about to turn when Sua grabbed his hand again, this time with more force. She said nothing, though she shared a look with him that told him more than he wanted to know. She was desperate, desperate like he was. Desperate not to survive, no, but to save someone she did want to survive.

Ivan returned the look, adding an additional shake to his head. It didn’t matter, Till would live. He promised that to himself a long time ago, that even if it came between he and Till’s life, Till’s would take precedence. Nothing would ever change that, especially not the whims of a stranger.

Sua quickly released Ivan as if he burned her, giving him a disgusted look before storming away towards Mizi. Ivan let out a tight breath at the exchange, a bit relieved he was no longer Sua’s target. But before he could try and get his friends’ attention again, the announcer called the boys up to the stage. The girls acted surprised, though Ivan realized this was their play all along. The girls were getting in their heads, throwing them off balance, distracting them right before the round began. Ivan grit his teeth as Mizi said, “Oh, sorry! We didn’t realize the round would start so soon! See you guys later, break a leg!”

Mizi, Sua, and Hyuna left them to try and scramble to grab everything they needed in time. Till and Luka didn’t even have time to check if their instruments were in tune before they started. At this point, they’d need a miracle to keep them from floundering onstage. But Ivan simply adjusted his perfect, smiley mask, and stepped onto the stage behind Luka and Till. They took their positions, Luka and Till at the front of the stage, Hyunwoo and Ivan off to the side slightly behind them. There was a moment for the crowd to cheer, then they quieted down, allowing the boys a moment to mentally prepare. Ivan drew in a slow breath, trying to calm his racing heart, thoughts moving a mile a minute. How could those girls get away with such blatant sabotage? Was there no rules against it? Would the others even be able to sing properly? After all, this song was supposed to tear their opponents down…

Just like in practice, Till began to tap out a beat on his guitar. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3 —

“Oh in a blink gone. Blink gone. You should let go, now. Blink and gone.”

Till began strumming his guitar, Ivan was relieved to hear that it sounded in tune.

“The clock goes tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock. Please, just enjoy it. Blink, gone. Oh in a blink, gone!”

“Let’s go!” Luka sounded, starting to play his own instrument. The violin was also in tune, though…was Luka’s playing shakier than usual?

“Today, your moment won’t ever come again. Our party’s getting started, and we’re going crazy high!” Ivan gave it everything he had. Nobody would stop Till from living out his life!

“Lift up your hands and give yourselves over to Gwi-Ma…” Till didn’t sound as confident as it did in practice.

“Now, right now!” At least their voices sounded good as one.

“Victory’s ours! You can’t handle what we’ve built up these years, you won’t tear us down now!” Luka’s voice rang out clear and proud, though his hands quaked hard, affecting the sound of the violin.

“And we grin before piercing your souls with our tongues!” Hyun sounded forlorn and desperate…this wasn’t good at all! What kind of performance were they giving?!

“Oh in a blink gone! Forget everything and just enjoy it. Oh in a blink gone! Don’t miss our moment! I’m tellin’ you blink, gone! You better not leave any regrets! The clock goes tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, blink, gone!”

Rather than a weapon used against their opponent, their song had transformed into a funeral march, their voices tolling the bell of death. And at this point, it wasn’t tolling for their rivals…it was tolling for them. Their energy was completely gone, their song sounded flat and almost sorry, as if the lyrics were apologizing for the way they were written. It had none of the power or confidence it was meant to convey, it was a sorry excuse of a show. Ivan was relieved when the song was finished, his mask was quickly crumbling before the audience, fear of failure settling on his chest.

The audience clapped for them, but there was no cheering, no whooping or hollering like yesterday. Their performance was only decent, they did not shine enough to leave a desirable impression. The audience’s reaction made Ivan’s heart sink, his fears confirmed. They had already lost the round before the girls even performed. Was that it? Had they already lost the entire thing?

The four of them bowed and dismounted the stage faster than ever before.

Ivan immediately went off to the bathroom, and once the door was shut and locked, he allowed himself to break apart. He gripped the sink like a lifeline, avoiding looking in the mirror. He let out a shuddering breath, gripping the sink so tightly part of the porcelain lip cracked. To think they might’ve already failed…that thought crushed Ivan. They lost a lot of favor today…they’d have to work hard just to regain it, let alone outshine the girls.

How cruel, how cruel!

This was all their fault! Mizi, Sua, Hyuna…it was planned. They purposely manipulated his friends, made them all get attached so quickly, threw a wrench in their song just before it began. After all, how could anyone sing a demeaning song with energy after discovering the subject of the discourteous lyrics weren’t as bad as they thought?

Ivan finally looked at the mirror, surprised to see that despite the rage lighting fire to his insides, that fake smile was displayed in his reflection, the corners upturned so far it looked painful. Ivan couldn’t stand to look at it, he hated that disgustingly weak expression. He couldn’t bear the visual reminder that he had failed. Till may already have been sentenced to death and he did nothing to stop it. With one blow, Ivan shattered the mirror, the spiderweb fractures disrupting his reflection. Better. The smile was gone. He stormed out of the bathroom before he destroyed anything else.

Ivan rejoined the others, blood still roaring in his ears. He stalked over to the TV, having half a mind to shatter it as well, though he froze at what was displayed on the screen. The women were already performing…he had to see the outcome. Maybe by some stroke of luck, the girls were worse than they were. But he couldn’t have been more mistaken.

Mizi stood front and center in their triangle formation to start with, the others behind her. The instrumental backing track they were singing alongside was rich and strong, the sort of strength the boys had wanted to convey.

Mizi started proud, “I was a ghost, I was alone. In the dark, in the road ahead. Given the throne, I didn’t know how to believe I was the queen that I’m meant to be.”

The girls spun around, Sua taking Mizi’s place front and center, “I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place.”

They spun again, this time Hyuna took the stage, “Called a problem child, ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid, eternally onstage.”

Mizi reclaimed her spot, smiling with a heart-meltingly sweet smile, “I’m done hiding, now I’m shining! Like I’m born to be. We’re dreaming hard, we came so far, now I believe…”

Then altogether like a chorus of angels, “We’re going up, up, up, it’s our moment! You know together we’re glowing! Gonna be, gonna be golden! Oh, up, up, up with our voices! Unbreakable forever! Gonna be, gonna be golden!”

Their song was a direct spit in Ivan’s face, a nail in his coffin. Rather than tearing down the other team…they were lifting themselves up in song. Blink Gone was supposed to be a sword to pierce them, but Golden was their shield, no, their pedestal to lift themselves above the rest. It made the boys’ song feel childish and mean, a shallow jab that was not only poorly performed, but disrespectful too. No doubt about it…the girls won the round.

Ivan felt that terrible desperate grimace crawling up at the corners of his mouth, something within him forming hairline fissures that were close to breaking. He would have smashed the TV just to rid himself of the hysteria building inside of him if it weren’t for Till. He walked over to Ivan, saying something he couldn’t hear above the horribly wonderful song. Ivan tried to shake himself out of it, hoping he didn’t accidentally convey all his twisted emotions to Till.

“What did you say?”

“Your hand…it’s bleeding,” Till repeated, pointing to Ivan’s hand, “Did you really not notice? Are you okay?”

Ivan looked down and sure enough, yes, his hand was dripping crimson all over the floor.

“Oh! No, I didn’t notice…thank you for pointing that out!” Ivan answered, holding up his hand away from his clothes.

Till rolled his eyes, though worry shimmered in his gaze, “You’re such a dumbass sometimes, you know that? Here.”

He ripped off part of his baggy white t-shirt, wrapping it around Ivan’s wound. It immediately stained red with blood, the thin material instantly soaked, but it was better than nothing.

“Oh, thanks! But you didn’t have to ruin your shirt!” Ivan said exasperatedly.

“Who cares? We’re done tonight anyway,” Till responded, tying a knot so the cloth would stay in place.

I care, Ivan wanted to say, but the words were stuck to his tongue like paste. He said nothing, glancing back at the TV to see the girls finishing up their song. And, for the first time ever, as he watched the audience cry out in adoration as the ladies bowed…he felt completely terrified.

Chapter Text

The three ladies sat in their special dining room, eating a feast of different soups, breads, noodles, and pastries after their stunning victory. Mizi sipped a spoonful of a particularly creamy pumpkin soup while Hyuna ranted on and on about what happened.

“It just seems a bit unfair, don’t you think? We’re playing with their feelings, toying with their humanity, it’s not right! I mean, you should’ve seen my brother, Miz, he was on the verge of tears at the made-up shit I was saying. It just doesn’t feel right, we should let them have a fair chance. And after talking with them…I don’t want to sentence anyone to death, especially not my own brother!”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Mizi replied, “He could just happen to look like you. And besides, if they haven’t figured out we baited them, then that’s their issue, not ours.”

“First of all, Mizi, I do remember my brother. We were raised together briefly when we were super young, so I only remember tiny bits and pieces, but that’s definitely him. I thought he was dead all this time…the point is let’s just give them a shot! Come on! It would be more fun anyway to actually have a fair fight!” Hyuna pointed out.

Mizi put down her spoon, brow furrowed at Hyuna, “Why? They obviously have no qualms writing songs about how terrible they think we are! Besides, they’re lucky enough to be participating in Alien Stage at all! They could’ve been stuck as pet humans until their Alien got bored or sacrificed to Gwi-Ma already!”

“You know damn well Alien Stage is not a lucky break! We’re the laughingstock of the world, and we just made a huge fool out of those boys!” Hyuna shouted back, getting agitated, “We should let them have a fucking chance!”

Mizi didn’t reply, instead she looked over at Sua, who had been quiet this whole time. Sua busied herself with swirling her fork around in her plate of untouched pasta, refusing to meet Mizi’s eyes. But despite her quiet nature, she did have something to say.

“Hyuna’s right,” Sua said quietly to her noodles, “Manipulation is a desperate tactic, it doesn’t look good. We planted the seed, we can leave it up to them if they let it grow. But you know the Aliens see everything…they might not like what we did.”

Mizi seemed to soften at Sua’s words, though she sighed a little, a bit miffed they had both agreed with her plan only to now veto it. After all, they had won this round, they could easily win more and guarantee all of them live. If none of them had a conscience, this would be so much easier…

“Alright. I’m sorry, Hyuna, I didn’t mean to make you upset. I shouldn’t brush off the fact that we’re up against your brother, that was mean of me. We’ll leave them be for now, keep our distance,” Mizi agreed, “We can keep the outcome in fate’s hands, if that’s what you really want.”

“Yes, that’s what I want,” Hyuna told her with a relieved nod, finally digging in to the food that had been sitting on her plate as if Mizi’s words had awakened her appetite, “Man, I will admit that if we die, I’m gonna miss eating this stuff.”

Sua finally took a bite of her pasta as well, as if she agreed with Hyuna. Mizi watched the small, thin woman eat for a moment, shaking her head. She knew Sua and Hyuna didn’t really care about their own lives, but they had to win. Mizi couldn’t bear the thought of a world where Hyuna and Sua were gone forever. She loved them both dearly and wanted to fight for them, even if that meant playing dirty. Sua especially was very dear to Mizi’s heart, the two of them had become very close. So close that Mizi wanted to marry her the second they were free.

Mizi wasn’t sure if Hyuna knew, as the two of them only spent time together alone when Hyuna was asleep at night. Since it was only the three of them, they always ensured Hyuna was included in every little thing they did. But the night was theirs, night was the only time Sua and Mizi could be alone together, time they spent very wisely. Mizi was sure Hyuna at least suspected something was happening between them, but she didn’t know enough to understand Mizi’s reasons for sabotaging the opposing team.

In the end though…Hyuna was right. The guys deserved a fair chance. It was cruel to play unfairly, especially after seeing how sweet many of the guys were.

Mizi finished the rest of her soup and stood up, ready to head back to her home.

“Enjoy your meal, I’ll see you guys later,” she announced.

“Alright, I’ll be there in a few. I just want to try a few more things first,” Hyuna replied as she wiped the corners of her mouth.

Mizi turned towards the hallway, a nearby guard stepping from his post to escort her. Sua surprisingly stood as well, grabbing a cupcake before following Mizi into the hallway. Hyuna remained in the dining room, continuing to feast upon their spread, seemingly unbothered by the others’ early departure.

Neither Sua nor Mizi spoke as they traversed the long, white hallways. Mizi looked around, curious what the rest of the building looked like. Alien Stage always took place in a massive complex that not only held large chambers for boys and girls to be raised, but also had a medical bay, the giant stadium-like stage where all the singing took place, and of course the two separate areas for guys and girls. Who knew what else lay beyond the hallways and walls…the building already had to be so big to fit everything…

Peering down the hallways, Mizi saw mazes of doors, a guard always in sight no matter where she looked. She spotted a few cameras, though they were scattered sparingly, most likely due to the presence of the guards.

It was funny how similarly they were treated to dogs. The cameras were only there in case someone were to sneak back and steal one of the girls rather than in case of escape. They were prized possessions, merchandise that needed protection. Apparently Aliens did not think humans were capable of escaping successfully…though with how long Alien Stage had gone on, maybe there was a reason for that.

The two girls didn’t say a word to each other until they were standing in their Alien-made paradise, the false grass spongey under their feet. The guard closed some sort of hidden door behind them and vanished. Turning around, Mizi couldn’t even see where the door would have been. It simply ceased to be, the fake sky’s sunset casting a golden glow on the surrounding ‘trees’ and giving the illusion of a massive forest behind them. If only their world actually were that big…

Sua suddenly took Mizi’s hand and led her to a corner away from the cameras and peering eyes. And yes, of course their world also had cameras. The Aliens wanted to watch every little second of their twenty-year show and had cameras hidden in the strangest places. The girls didn’t even notice for many years until they saw a strange circle of glass on a rock that had a little red glowing light just like the camera Mizi had been given as a birthday present from her guardian one year. Thankfully, Sua had found a spot long ago hidden enough from cameras where they could speak quietly without being watched. It was between a cluster of trees and behind a boulder, a little spot they could sit and talk without prying eyes.

Both of them sat down behind the stone, Sua still clutching Mizi’s hand.

“Mizi,” Sua whispered, “You should really find a way to escape. Those boys…well…I really don’t think they deserve to die. But they have people they want to protect too, people they’re going to fight for tooth and nail for. And you…I just want you to live. There has to be a way, if there’s blind spots here, then there has to be blind spots in the hallways too. You could catch the Aliens off guard and run—”

“No,” Mizi said firmly, heart sinking at Sua’s words, “No, no, no. Don’t even suggest leaving you behind! And what about Hyuna? Would you really want me to leave her too?”

“Yes,” Sua said plainly, “Hyuna’s only doing this for us, but she’d sacrifice herself in a heartbeat if it meant her brother could live.”

“Then all three of us could escape, we could come up with a plan to save the boys too!” Mizi whispered desperately.

“No, Mizi. Think about it. Three of us disappearing would be too conspicuous to go unnoticed for long, and even if we somehow were successful, the boys would get automatically get sacrificed before we can do anything,” she countered, shaking her head, “It has to be you and only you.”

Mizi shook her head, lips quivering with useless frustration and sadness. She hugged Sua close, burying her head in Sua’s neck.

“Never say that again. I’ll never abandon you. Whether we win or lose, I’m going to do it with you.”

Sua said nothing, though her eyes filled with bitter sadness that Mizi couldn’t see.

“Just…at least consider it,” Sua murmured, “I don’t want you to die.”

“No, I can’t. I can’t live in a world without your soul,” Mizi responded, chest so heavy with grief, “We’ll win fair and square. I’ll make sure we do.”

The girls held each other in silence, clutching the other like a lifeline. They sat there for who knew how long, listening to the beating of each other’s hearts, feeling the breath of their loved one on their skin, absorbing the sensation of each other’s touch. Mizi felt sick as she remembered catching Sua watching previous Alien Stage participants being sacrificed in the final round. She remembered seeing Sua shut her eyes and clutch her chest as if she were imagining having her soul stolen from her. Sua had rehearsed her death, she was a beautiful blossom all too ready to wither. But Mizi would not allow her to, not if she could help it.

“I’m back!” a distant voice called, signaling the end of their moment together.

Mizi quickly pulled away and wiped her eyes, hoping her makeup didn’t smudge enough to make her crying too noticeable. The last thing she wanted was Hyuna worried about her on top of everything else. She helped Sua up, and both of them headed over to the center of the meadow to greet Hyuna, trying hard not to think of their impending doom. 

For the remainder of the evening, the three girls spent time lazing around in the grass, reviewing their next song and talking about the boys. Mizi was braiding blades of grass together, attempting to distract herself from what Sua had told her as Hyuna chuckled beside her.

“You guys met Luka, right? Such a weirdo, he couldn’t stop staring at me.”

“Yeah, I saw him eyeballing you. That guy, Till, was staring at me like that too,” Mizi agreed, “Guys are weird, aren’t they?”

“They are. They’re so different from us, it’s sort of unbelievable they’re humans too. They even smelled different, like they have this weird musk,” Hyuna responded.

Mizi laughed a little, “Right? I thought I was the only one who thought they had a weird scent!”

“And they were so…I don’t even know how to describe it. They acted like they were super tough and big-headed in order to impress me…as if I’d like that. So funny,” Hyuna noted, grinning with amusement.

Mizi nodded, surprised at how much she was starting to enjoy this gossip, “Exactly. And even though their song was written like it was supposed to make us look bad, it ended up being one of the worst things I’ve ever heard!”

“Yeah we really threw them off their game,” Hyuna agreed, “Even if the lyrics were basically telling us to give up, I think the song could’ve been a banger. It had a catchy tune. But I guess it was our own fault we fucked it up, huh? At least I got a chance to talk to my brother a little…”

They went silent after that. Gossip wasn’t as fun when the ones talking were the guilty party. It was sad to think that they might have already had a hand in the boys’ downfall. They really were just people after all…humans like them trapped in the same situation. It was hard to view the guys as the enemy when they were just doing their best to survive like the girls were.

“I’m going to bed, goodnight you two!” Mizi suddenly announced, unable to handle talking anymore. No matter what they talked about, it would be too painful. Between Sua’s suggestion to leave them and guilt about what they did to the boys, Mizi was miserable. She just wanted to escape to a place where she didn’t have to hold it together. She stood up and walked across the meadow towards her house, leaving Sua and Hyuna to stew in their own thoughts and feelings alone.

Mizi shut her front door and leaned against it, sighing heavily. The tears were already falling before she had even allowed herself to cry. She sank down to the floor and wept. She cried for Sua and Hyuna’s willingness to die. She cried for the lives of the boys she might have already destroyed. She cried for herself, for the life she might never get to live. She cried at how unfair it all was, pitting people against each other like this. Her tears were shed for every single person in her life and all the people her actions affected. The idea that any decision she made would end in someone’s death fueled her shame and sadness more than anything else. She sobbed until she felt empty, when there was nothing left but the crushing guilt of her own actions. The fear that Sua would die, and worse, that she was expectantly waiting for it.

After crying until she couldn’t anymore, Mizi finally stood up and went towards the bathroom to wash her face. Exhaustion pulled at her body, calling her to bed. She felt so heavy and awful that she just wanted to spend the rest of the week before the next round sleeping. At least then she wouldn’t have to face her awful reality. As she passed the kitchen table on her way to the bathroom, she noticed white from the corner of her eye. On the wooden surface sat an envelope with Mizi’s name, a small message written underneath the four loopy letters that read “Read in Bathroom.”

Mizi immediately understood, as bathrooms were the only other spot in this place where no cameras would be watching. She had always been accustomed to knowing she was on camera and didn’t mind it, though for cases such as this, it was a very useful to know where the blind spots were located. Mizi guessed the Aliens had only excluded a camera in all bathrooms to ensure their ‘show’ wouldn’t include any disgusting or explicit scenes, not for the humans’ personal privacy. The Aliens were so careless in that way…

Mizi wiped her nose, pulling herself together. She clutched the envelope to her chest as if it were sacred to her, mostly to conceal what was written on it from the cameras, and casually walked into the bathroom. Once the door was shut, she finally opened the envelope. Inside was a letter, handwritten from her guardian Shine. Mizi’s hands grew shaky as she read its contents, the neat, loopy handwriting damning her with terrible information she wished she had never been told. How many more awful things would she have to bear during this wretched day?

Mizi ripped off her coat, looking at her arms with newfound horror. The ugly blue diamond-shaped marks that she had always hid, the marks she had been told were just a strange rash, a sickness, or a scar that would eventually go away, they now had a terrible new meaning. The marks would never go away…because Mizi wasn’t entirely human.

Chapter Text

Ivan watched Till scribble in his sketchbook in the sunlight, humming distractedly as his pencil lightly scraped against the paper. Without looking at the drawing, Ivan knew exactly what—or who—he was sketching. Mizi, dusted with gold, singing proud. The way she looked onstage last night.

Ivan’s mouth was curved with displeasure as he adjusted the wrapped cotton bandage on his hand. His heart was heavy with not only fear and anger at what had happened yesterday, but also with jealousy. While the girls were likely plotting their next awful scheme, Till was here sitting under the shade of the tree, drawing the shimmering and sweet Mizi. After everything those witches had done, after throwing the boys to the wolves, Mizi did not deserve to be given any attention. None of them did. It was such a low blow, to target their fascinations and feed them pretty lies…

Ivan stretched, trying to ignore the fury simmering underneath his skin. It was early morning, the others hadn’t even woken up yet, and he was already completely fed up with everything. If he really had to die, why couldn’t his final days be more enjoyable?

“Any ideas for our next song?” Ivan pointedly asked, leaning against the tree for support.

“I don’t know,” Till thoughtlessly muttered, “Something bright and bubbly.”

Bright and bubbly, huh? Ivan thought to himself, Sounds a bit too familiar . His heart roared with envy, knowing that Till only had one thing on his mind right now and it certainly wasn’t their survival, less of all him. Maybe it was Ivan’s fault for never confessing…but to fall for their enemy? Really? They only had three more rounds to go, and each of them needed to be perfect if they wanted to regain the audience’s favor. But instead of coming up with any ideas, Till was here fawning over an opponent.

Ivan had enough. He sighed and quickly snatched Till’s notebook out of his hands to confirm his suspicions. Despite Till’s immediate protests as he scrambled to get his sketchbook back, Ivan kept it out of his grasp as he looked at what Till had been drawing. Just as he thought, both of the pages had dozens of sketches of Mizi from different angles, her eyes shining bright even when drawn with pencil. It took all of his willpower not to rip the pages out of the book and tear them to shreds. Instead, he forced out a laugh.

“Wow, two pages dedicated to Mizi? You must really like her! You’ve never dedicated that many pages to me!” he teased, trying to keep the betrayal from crawling into his tone. It was unfair how good Till was at drawing her, his careful pencil strokes had turned her image into something completely stunning.

Till was blushing hard, embarrassed that Ivan had seen his work, but to his surprise Till whispered, “That’s because you have more than two, dummy.”

Ivan didn’t absorb what Till had admitted for several seconds, but when he did, it hit him like a ton of bricks.

“W-what did you say?”

Till rolled his eyes, still blushing furiously as he stole his sketchbook back from Ivan and turned the pages all the way to the very beginning of the sketchbook. He thrust it back into Ivan’s hands, allowing him to look. It took Ivan a while to realize just how much Till had drawn him without him even knowing, page after page plastered with Ivan’s face. He flipped through old drawings of him as a child all the way to recent ones of him as an adult. Some were of Ivan laughing, others singing, some of him asleep, but most of them were detailed drawings of Ivan’s smile. Some of his smiles were genuine, others were full of pain or anger, a few of sadness. Till had an incredible ability to capture subtle emotions in his art, and Ivan was both pleasantly surprised and angry at himself for never noticing how much attention Till had paid to him. He was completely stunned and speechless, almost on the verge of tears.

Till fidgeted, uncomfortable by the silence, unable to watch Ivan’s reaction, “You just…you’re fun to draw. You make a lot of stupid faces…”

Ivan looked up from the drawings to see Till completely red, looking like he was ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.

“Till, these drawings are beautiful,” Ivan told him quietly, completely serious, “Why didn’t you ever show me?”

Till finally met Ivan’s eyes, and he took a deep breath, opening his mouth to say something important. But they were interrupted as Hyunwoo and Luka hollered a greeting, walking up to them with what looked like a platter of food. Till hurriedly plucked the book out of Ivan’s hands and slammed it shut, sliding it under one of his legs so that it would be more difficult to take the sketchbook from him if someone tried. He crossed his arms as the two other guys sat beside them, carrying with them the scent of a delicious breakfast.

“Luka made some pancakes!” Hyun announced as he placed the platter of warm pancakes between Ivan and Till, “Eat up!”

“Oh, nice! Thanks, Luka!” Ivan replied, masking his irritation at their interruption with a broad grin, “How’d you both sleep?”

“Like shit,” Hyunwoo answered, grabbing a pancake and stuffing it in his mouth, “Kept dreaming about my sister getting sacrificed. Wasn’t great.”

“I didn’t sleep well either,” Luka agreed with a small smile, though he strangely seemed to have a lot of energy, blush staining his cheeks with a light pink. Ivan shivered a little, feeling unsettled by Luka’s presence, though he wasn’t exactly sure why.

“You know, that reminds me, we should come up with our next song together,” Ivan smoothly suggested, “We didn’t perform that last one so well, and I’m guessing it’s because a lot of you felt uncomfortable with it, so we should come up with something everyone will like.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. I definitely don’t want to bash the girls is any more of our songs,” Hyun agreed, Luka nodding his head fervently.

Till looked away, expression twisting with shame.

“Sorry…” Till said quietly, hugging himself a little, “It was my fault we failed. I thought the song was a good idea…but I know better now.”

“It’s not your fault, we all agreed to do it,” Ivan told Till, then addressed the others, “This time we need to be transparent with one another. If you’re not going to give it your all, we need to either work around that or try something else. We’re in this together as a team. If one of us fails, we all fail , so we have to do our best, right?”

Everyone nodded, though seemed unable to make eye contact with Ivan, which sort of surprised him. Maybe they didn’t want to face the fact that all of their lives were dependent on each other, or maybe they realized like he did that their failure yesterday could have already cost them their lives. Whatever the case, Ivan was happy they at least seemed to be understanding the big picture.

“It’s us or them,” Ivan continued, “We need to at the very least fight for our lives. We have to do our best and try . Our next song needs to be very impressive …any suggestions?”

There was a moment of silence until Till finally said, “Well, if we want to win back our favor, we have to start by being likeable. The girls did that with their song Golden, so we need to do something similar. Something positive.”

“Something about love,” Luka added dreamily, “Everyone loves to love, don’t they?”

“Do you speak from experience, Luka?” Hyunwoo asked jokingly, but when he saw Luka’s blush deepen, Hyun laughed, “Wait, seriously?! No way you fell for someone that fast! Which one?”

“Hyuna,” Luka softly answered, covering his mouth with his white sleeve.

“Holy shit! You’re going after my sister, huh?” Hyun joked, jabbing Luka with his elbow, “You sly dog! And to think, all this time you could have had me instead!~”

Luka uncovered his mouth briefly just to stick a tongue out at Hyunwoo, which only made him laugh.

Ivan chuckled a little at their antics, though did his best to ensure they stayed on topic, “That’s a good idea, Luka! We could make our next song about love, what do you think—”

“What about you, Ivan? I saw the way you were talking to Sua,” Hyun interrupted, waggling his eyebrows conspiratorially.

Ivan tried to hide his disgust at the remark with little success.

“No, I’m not interested in any of the girls,” he responded, opening his mouth to say more.

Hyun quickly dismissed him with a wave, “Gah, you’re no fun. What about you, Till?”

“Well…” Till blushed, “Mizi…Mizi is cute, I guess.”

“Aha! I knew it!” Hyunwoo shouted, laughing, “Of course you’d go for the pink hair! You two would make a cute couple!”

Till’s cheeks deepened in color as he looked at the ground. Ivan thought it was cute to see Till like this…but not for someone else. He clenched his hands into fists, trying to reign in the jealousy and anger that threatened to drown him. He was at his wits end, unable to stand it anymore.

“They’re our enemies,” Ivan tightly reminded them, expression dark, “If they win, we die. The more you get attached, the harder it will be.”

“Oh come on, have a little fun, Ivan! Such a wet blanket!” Hyunwoo said, pausing for a second before grinning “You’re right though, we’ve gotta be way better than we were last night. But what if we tried making our next song for the girls again? In a positive way this time, as you suggested, Till. And with love, like Luka said.”

Ivan didn’t like where this was going. He crossed his arms, a sickening feeling broiling in his gut.

“The girls obviously wanted us to get attached, so let’s play their game and make them love us !” Hyun continued, eyes twinkling with playful pride, “We’ll write up a fun little song to make them and the audience swoon!”

Luka was immediately on board, quickly in agreement, and even Till was nodding at the idea. Ivan felt a bit queasy seeing all of them so quick to make the decision. Did this really have to be the way they approached their problem?

“I already have some ideas for the lyrics!” Luka excitedly agreed.

“Me too, I’ll go get my guitar,” Till said, standing up and running towards his house.

Hyunwoo and Luka then started brainstorming lyrics together, their words sickening Ivan so much he ended up standing up as well.

“Keep it up, I’ll be back soon,” he muttered, though neither Hyun nor Luka seemed to hear him.

Ivan walked back to his home, feeling so many conflicting emotions. Why was it that every time he made some progress with Till, something like this happened? How unfair , he decided, to watch my love fawn over another. Maybe he should just confess his feelings and get over his hesitation. After all, they didn’t have much time left before the final round. Would the consequences really matter? Unless of course it affected Till’s ability to perform and therefore his life…well maybe he should wait until after their victory. The secret would die with him if he failed. After all, did he even deserve to tell Till if he couldn’t save him?

At least the guys were motivated enough to write a song…though how good could the song really be if it was about their opponents again? Would it be enough to win the audience over? Could they really beat the girls with something so shallow? Why couldn’t the song have been about anything else ?

Ivan shut himself in his house and decided to take a nap. He crawled into bed and curled up in the center, blowing out a stressed breath. There was too much to worry about, too many feelings for him to handle. So, rather than think things through, he shut his eyes and the world out with them, drifting off to sleep.

Chapter Text

Mizi reread the letter again and again, unable to believe it:

Dearest Mizi, 

Remember all those years ago when you had noticed the markings on your arms? At the time, I had told you it was merely a human condition that would go away, but when you told me on the night of your first show that it seemed to be spreading, I grew worried. I’ve contacted several Pet Human doctors, all of which have informed me your ailment is not typical of your kind. In fact, they have suggested your marks are caused by a mingling of different types of DNA. That is to say, my dearest Mizi, that you may not be entirely a Pet Human. This, of course, would imply that an Alien had heinously bred with your mother, whoever she was. I am ordering a blood test for you to confirm whether or not this is true, the doctors may come take the sample from you sometime this week. I am not sure what this means for your role in Alien Stage, but rest assured I am looking into it. Perhaps if you continue to perform this well, we will not have to find out. I will write you when the doctors send me the results.

 Sing strong, beloved Mizi. 

Love, Shine.

An Alien?? Was she really supposed to believe that was true? And if it was…did that mean she had no soul? If she didn’t have a soul, she couldn’t be sacrificed to Gwi-Ma if they lost. Because of that…would she be taken away, completely excluded from Alien Stage? As much as she wanted to be free, she knew Sua and Hyuna wouldn’t be able to perform the remaining songs by themselves, they needed her! All of their songs and choreography was written for three people. They wouldn’t be able to win the upcoming rounds with only two of them performing!

She clutched her arms close against her chest, anxiously scraping her nails against the hideous scale-like diamonds coating her skin. Even if she didn’t know for sure what the cause exactly was, there was no denying that these blue patterns had been climbing higher and higher each year that passed. Soon she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to conceal it with her clothing. This whole thing began the year she had started her monthly bleedings, she had noticed a couple of reptilian-looking blue scales on the inside of her elbows. It’s been about ten years since then, and now the scales have spread all the way across both arms, down to her wrists and up to her shoulders. She had reminded her guardian Shine about it when she visited her before their very first round and now almost wished she hadn’t expressed her worry. At least Shine was kind enough to see if the doctors were right before doing anything drastic, any other guardian might have ratted Mizi out already and sold her to the highest bidder.

Mizi sat down at the edge of the bathtub, staring at the shimmering scales. Should she tell Sua and Hyuna? They could give her their input and would have enough time to rewrite their songs if they were given enough of a heads up that she might no longer be involved…but Mizi couldn’t get Sua’s sad and determined expression out of her head. Sua and Hyuna didn’t care if they lived or died, and Hyuna might throw the remaining rounds to sacrifice for her brother…no, no, she couldn’t tell them. If she told them, they’d be happy for her and give up their lives so the boys could live, no longer having to worry about Mizi being sacrificed.

No, she couldn’t let that happen. She had to keep this a secret. She had to ensure Sua and Hyuna survived no matter what. Mizi had to make sure that, regardless of the results of the blood test, she would see the remaining rounds through to ensure both girls gave it their all.

But then there was the matter of her soul…if she was part Alien it was guaranteed that she either had no soul or only part of a soul, which most likely would mean she had a chance of surviving an encounter with Gwi-Ma. At that point Sua and Hyuna would already be past saving, and then the whole world would know what she was if she was the only girl left standing. The only way to save her friends was either to sing so well they damned the boys to death or to escape and help from the outside.

If that was the case…Mizi froze.

Was it possible that she could save them all? Save both Sua and Hyuna and the boys too? If she was allowed to leave…what would stop her from sneaking back? Surely not Shine, Shine was supportive and clueless about humans. Mizi knew Shine would be the last one to ever stand in her way. So…was it possible…?

Mizi didn’t want to get too hopeful, but if her status as part Alien meant she could get away, then surely she could use her freedom to sneak back and try to save them all before their final round. She just had to come up with a plan…provided her blood test actually came back positive. If it really was just some kind of rash or disease, then Mizi would be just as stuck as she ever was, forced to participate in the rounds regardless of the outcome.

She sighed, deciding to draw herself a bath to calm herself down. Warm water gushed out from the faucet, filling the tub with clean tap. She removed the rest of her clothing and stepped into the tub, letting the warm water wrap around her like a welcoming blanket. She shut her eyes, picturing a world where her and Sua could live together in happiness. She imagined a day where she and Sua could wake up in the same bed, the real sun shining through the windows, no cameras or Aliens around watching them. They’d be free to go wherever they please, say whatever they like, and be whoever they wanted to be. That was Mizi’s wish. She wanted that more than anything…she’d even give up her own soul if it meant they could be free in the afterlife.

Once the tub was so full the water was almost spilling over the edges, Mizi shut off the faucet and began to wash herself. She ran a soapy washcloth over her skin, leaving trails of light pink suds all over her limbs and torso. She rinsed herself off and began washing her hair, the silky pink strands floating around her in the water. It was peaceful, serene even, to lay in the water. She liked to pretend she was somewhere far away, bathing in a warm pool out in the wilderness. Only, when she opened her eyes, a ceiling stared back at her, mocking her with its pure white. She sighed and sat up again, thinking deeply with only the occasional sound of splashing water whenever she moved to disrupt the peaceful silence.

After bathing for a while, Mizi heard a faint knock at her front door. She immediately knew who it was, though she didn’t move at first. Sua had probably come to check on her, but Mizi wasn’t sure if she should respond. She loved Sua so much…the sight of her alone might cause her to spill everything she had just learned. No, she had to keep it a secret. Sua would understand she needed some space, right? You might not have much time left to spend with her…a dark inner voice reminded her.

Mizi froze at the horrible thought…though that was true, wasn’t it? She blew out a slow breath and finished up. She may not be sure if she could face Sua without telling her everything, but no matter what, she had to keep her mouth shut about it. At least until she knew the situation and could plan accordingly.

“Coming!” Mizi finally called, draining the bath and quickly drying herself off before slipping on a bathrobe. Thankfully, the bathrobe covered every inch of her markings just like her other clothes, so Sua wouldn’t be able to see them.

Sua was silently waiting outside the front door when Mizi finally opened it.

“Hey,” Mizi greeted, shoving down all of her worries and doing her best to smile.

“Hey…I just wanted to say I’m sorry for what I said. It was a lot to put on you…I don’t know why I expected you’d agree to just…let us go,” Sua responded quietly, stepping into Mizi’s home, already knowing she always had an invitation.

Hearing her heartfelt apology, Mizi immediately wanted to just rip off her bathrobe and show her arms to Sua right then and there, to try and come up with a strategy with her so they all could live, but until she knew for sure if she really was part Alien…how could she? She didn’t have the heart to give Sua false hope. She promised herself she’d wait at least until she got the results of the blood test. Then they could make plans.

Instead of saying anything in reply, Mizi took Sua’s hand and led her to the far corner of the small house. Their houses were just big enough to fit one person, there were no rooms other than the bathroom. Everything else was sort of smashed together: the kitchen was to the left of the entrance with a fully functional stove, oven, and fridge and of course a dining table and chair. Then right across from the kitchen was the bed where Mizi slept, a small closet full of the plain white gowns all of them were required to wear outside of Alien Stage right beside it. Mizi brought Sua to her plush bed and sat down with her. She wrapped her arms around Sua, holding her close.

“No…I’m happy to know you both care deeply about me and the boys,” Mizi eventually responded quietly into Sua’s raven black hair, “I just want us all to do our best no matter what happens. I wish everyone could live…but I don’t want anyone to give their lives up, especially not you or Hyuna.”

Sua nodded, though did not say a word, arms limply at her sides. Mizi squeezed Sua tightly as if she might disappear in an instant.

“You’re so important to me,” Mizi continued, “I love you much more than you could ever understand. You’re my universe.”

Sua became very stiff at Mizi’s words, trembling slightly. After many minutes of enduring Mizi’s embrace, Sua finally returned it, burying her head in Mizi’s long pink hair. Mizi could hear her love hold in her tears, shaking with the effort. There was so much to say, yet neither of them spoke, only holding each other and basking in their closeness. Sua clutched the fabric of Mizi’s bathrobe, completely tense with the force of holding herself together.

Mizi pulled Sua down so that they were laying in the bed, wrapping herself around Sua’s body. She soaked in Sua’s grasp, drinking in the feeling of her softness. In that moment she wished she could drown herself in Sua’s form, though her dear love was still trembling in her grasp. Mizi began running her fingers through Sua’s silky hair, trying to soothe her. She eventually began to calm, relaxing against Mizi, and whispered, “If I’m your universe…then you’re my god. I’d burn the whole place down in your name if I could.”

Mizi smiled, clutching Sua tighter, “Somehow, you always manage to outdo me, Sua. But it’s a deal. Let’s turn this place to ash, whether that be with our songs or with a fiery inferno.”

Mizi could feel Sua smile against her shoulder, “Deal.”

All of Mizi’s worries about her arm and the competition melted away as the two of them held each other. Nothing would separate them, whether it was life or death, Mizi was more determined than ever to ensure they made it out alive.

She wasn’t sure when, but eventually both of them fell asleep, still tightly bound in one another’s arms as they shielded each other from the horrors of their reality.

Chapter Text

Ivan woke up in the middle of the night to yelling. He was immediately alert, though admittedly a bit groggy as he had slept far longer than he intended to. He had to have slept for what, twelve hours? More? He shook his head at himself, the details of his sleep were not at all important. He listened for a second, unsure who the voices belonged to, their shouting echoing in the distance. A feeling of dread crawled up his veins and he sprang to his feet, running out of his house and straight to Till’s without thinking things through. Thankfully Till lived very close, so it wasn’t long before Ivan burst through his door, frantically checking for trouble.

Till was fast asleep in his bed, drooling a bit on his pillow as he slept deeply. He showed no signs of injuries or restlessness, he was perfectly untouched and unbothered. Ivan sighed in relief, though the shouting still reverberated through the dark air. He had a feeling whatever was going on wouldn’t be pretty. He silently approached Till, allowing himself a moment to drink in how calm and relaxed Till looked. He leaned over and pressed his lips against Till’s warm forehead, wishing he could stay longer. But he had a job to do. He reached a bit to his right and grabbed Till’s guitar, clutching the sturdy thing in his fist. It had a bit of surprising heft to it, but then again Till’s guardian spared no expense to give his Pet Human any tool to victory.

After giving Till another once-over to reassure himself that his love was safe, Ivan left Till to continue sleeping peacefully, shutting the front door quietly behind him.

The voices were coming from a wooded area near Hyunwoo and Luka’s houses, getting increasingly irate and loud. Ivan held onto the guitar tightly, intending to use it as a weapon if he had to, though Till would no doubt be furious if the instrument was destroyed, as would his guardian. He began to slow as he grew closer to the shouts, stalking the source of the sound from the concealment of the thick, dark brush around him. He was finally close enough to hear and see what was going on, so he watched from a distance to determine if this was just a dispute that would resolve itself or something far worse that needed his intervention.

Hyun and Luka stood behind their houses, expressions tight with anger and movements aggressive. Both of them were still wearing their day gowns, so Ivan figured they must have stayed up late and ended up arguing about something. At least no Aliens were involved, that fact made Ivan feel a bit better. Sometimes Aliens would arrive unexpectedly to take one of them somewhere for a check-up or punish bad behavior. Till and even sometimes Hyunwoo fought them tooth and nail whenever they entered their space. But this was different, Ivan wasn’t as worried now that he knew for sure it was just those two bickering, though Luka always had a tendency to take things too far…

“You’ve got to stop saying shit like that, Luka! She’s my sister! Of course I want to win just like any of you, but to be so heartless—”

“That’s the problem with humans like you, isn’t it? You fail to see the bigger picture,” Luka droned, his voice dangerously manic, “It’s not our fault if we win, is it? In fact, you were the one to suggest beating the girls at their own game! Just imagine how beautiful her soul will look when she’s sacrificed!”

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Stop saying that! Fine, maybe you’re right, maybe it was wrong of me to say that, okay? Is that what you want to hear? That I was fucking wrong?!” Hyunwoo’s temper was reaching a boiling point.

“No, what I want is Hyuna’s soul! I want to be the one to deliver the final blow! I want to see her sacrificed by my own hand,” Luka responded with icy reverence, his tone sending chills down Ivan’s spine.

Ivan shook his head at Luka’s insanity. He didn’t agree with it…but if this would guarantee their victory…he had no problem with Luka thinking this way. Though Luka admittedly sounded like a pious lunatic, Ivan decided he’d leave him alone.

“Stop it!” Hyun demanded, “What if I throw the rounds to make her win? Huh?? What would you do about that?”

Ivan rolled his eyes. They’d be at this for a while, he decided to turn and leave before they spotted him. But the sound of low guttural laughter that seemed to painfully rupture out of Luka’s throat stopped him in his tracks. He slowly turned back around, anxiety sinching his gut.

“That’s easy, then I’ll take your soul too!”

It all happened too fast. Before Hyunwoo or Ivan could process what Luka said, the blonde lunged at the ground, his hand wrapping around a stone. In a flash, he shot back up and slammed it against Hyun’s forehead. Blood splattered from the wound, coating the rock as Hyunwoo staggered back, dazed and confused. Luka wasn’t very strong, especially in comparison to Hyun, but he had surprise on his side. Luka pounced on Hyun, knocking him to the ground, bringing the stone hard against Hyunwoo’s head once again.

Realizing the severity of the situation, Ivan snapped out of his own shock and launched himself towards Luka, slamming his body into the blonde’s slight figure and shoving him away, holding up the guitar like a baseball bat. Luka, caught off guard, practically crumpled beneath Ivan’s grasp, immediately dropping the stone and falling away from Hyun.

“What are you doing?!” Ivan screamed at Luka, “You almost killed him!”

Luka’s expression went from shock, to amusement, then became completely blank.

“He wants to throw the competition, so I decided he shouldn’t be a part of it anymore,” he responded childishly, as if this were a perfectly normal conclusion to come to.

Ivan wanted to strangle Luka for saying something like that so casually, as if their lives meant nothing to him. His vision clouded with red and his grip on the guitar was getting dangerously tight to the point where any small thing might drive him to slam the guitar against Luka’s head. Rather than give in to his anger, Ivan purposefully moved away from Luka and went to Hyunwoo to check on him. He was still awake, though very visibly dazed and disoriented. Ivan was relieved, though there was a gnarly gash on Hyun’s head that seemed to have an alarming amount of blood.

“Are you okay?” Ivan muttered, kneeling down to Hyun’s level, guitar still in hand in case Luka decided to try something.

Hyunwoo didn’t respond, his irises shaking as if the world was spinning around him. Ivan felt sick with guilt. He almost walked away from this. He almost didn’t intervene just because Luka’s goal aligned with his own. How selfish was he? Hyun could have died at Luka’s hands, and Ivan wouldn’t have known until morning. Even now Hyunwoo could be very well on his way…

Suddenly, something appeared behind them and began pulling Ivan away from Hyun, strange appendages lifting him into the air and bringing him somewhere else, the guitar in his hands ripped out of his grasp. Ivan shouted with both anger and fear, fighting and flailing to get back to Hyun until he realized who had him. Alien Guards had come to intervene, carrying Ivan away to a safe distance where he wouldn’t interfere. Two others also took Luka away, probably bringing him outside of the Fishbowl to be punished like they often did to Till.

Medics quickly surrounded Hyunwoo, all tending to him fervently, shielding Hyunwoo from Ivan’s view. Ivan hoped desperately that his friend would be okay. What was Luka thinking?!

“What’s going on?” a voice abruptly rang out from far away.

Ivan’s head shot up as he saw Till running towards the commotion, expression tired though worried. Oh no…Ivan didn’t want Till to see. If he knew the truth of what happened, if he knew Hyun wanted to throw the rounds to save his sister and Luka had almost killed him for it…Till would support Hyunwoo. Till would let himself be sacrificed.

Thankfully, before he started fighting them again, the Aliens let Ivan go as if they sensed that Ivan needed to be released. He immediately took off running towards Till, trying his best to get between him and the scene before them. He tried to act casual despite the fact he had just been freed from the grasp of the Alien guards, giving Till the best smile he could muster given the circumstances. Till tried to see past him, but Ivan moved in his way, blocking his view.

“It was just a scuffle, you should go back to bed,” Ivan quickly responded, constantly moving in Till’s line of sight to ensure he couldn’t see what was happening despite Till’s increasing irritation, “It’s nothing super serious, the Aliens just had to intervene—”

“What are you trying so damn hard to hide?? Just let me see!” Till interrupted, getting frustrated.

“I’m telling you, it’s nothing serious! It’s not worth your time!”

Till stopped trying to see past Ivan as if he realized something. He stood still, staring Ivan dead in the eyes.

“Ivan,” Till said with finality in his tone, his voice deadly calm, “Tell me what happened.”

Ivan stiffened for a moment, then immediately dropped the façade, letting his expression fall. He didn’t have the heart to keep lying to Till.

“You don’t want to see it,” he replied quietly, a warning creeping up behind his throat, “They’ve got it under control. Just go home.”

“No. Tell me what’s going on right now.”

Ivan only shook his head, “I won’t.”

“Then get out of my way.”

Ivan shook his head again, making no move to leave. Enraged, Till shoulder-chucked Ivan and passed him, looking at what he had been hiding. Ivan already knew, the image had been branded into his mind. Hyun was on the grass with blood leaking from his forehead, staining everything it touched as the Aliens stood around him, poking and prodding at him with various tools. At the same time, Luka was being dragged away, completely limp and silent with a strange smile on his face as the Alien Guards dragged him out of the Fishbowl. It was a truly awful sight, one that would no doubt stick with them for the remainder of their lives, however long it may be. Ivan wished Till wasn’t so stubborn. But now he knew.

“Hyunwoo!” Till exclaimed, rushing over to his friend, “Are you okay? Hyun! Hyunwoo!”

Hyun was motionless as one of the Alien medics shined a light in his eye, the medics blocking Till from getting any closer. Till was distraught, angry, and confused. Ivan hated that expression he was making…

“What happened?” Till demanded from the medics around him, though all of them ignored him, continuing to fuss over Hyunwoo.

Ivan felt rooted in place as Till stared down at Hyun for a long time, so long Ivan wished he could reach into Till’s mind and hear what he was thinking. He surprisingly wasn’t lashing out at the Aliens, most likely understanding that doing so would only hinder them from healing Hyunwoo. He stared and stared for a long time, clasping his hands into tight fists at his sides.

“Luka did this,” Till suddenly whispered.

He looked behind him to Ivan for confirmation, face full of shock and horror. Ivan only nodded slowly, defeated.

“Why?!” Till demanded, turning away from Hyunwoo.

Ivan finally decided that if Till really wanted the truth, then he’d have to be the one to give it to him. He’d find out sooner or later anyway…might as well be the one to rip off the band-aid. Besides, he couldn’t bear to see Till looking so upset…

“Hyunwoo threatened to throw the competition for his sister.”

Till’s eyes went wide at the information, disgust climbing at the edges of his mouth. He looked back at Hyun, watching as the medics now lifted him up onto a stretcher to take him to the clinic. They carried Hyunwoo towards the horizon, slipping into a hidden door somewhere in their Fishbowl’s walls, disappearing as if they were never there. The place felt uncomfortably quiet and empty with both of their friends gone, as if their world had frozen in time.

“Maybe he had a point,” Till finally said, “Maybe this is proof the girls deserve to win.”

Ivan’s stomach dropped, freezing cold dread crawling up his veins. No. Till couldn’t give up. If Till gave up…what reason would Ivan have to keep going?

“Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that,” Ivan warned, striding up to Till and grabbing his shoulders, “By giving up, you’d be damning all of us to die. Including those of us who want to live.”

Including the person I want to keep safe, were the unspoken words sitting on the edge of his lips. Till clenched his teeth, biting back whatever he was about to say as well. He blew out a breath, scraping his fingernails against his collar as if to remind himself why he had to stay calm.

“Even so, that doesn’t excuse what Luka did,” Till coldly responded, “He could’ve killed him.”

“I’m not excusing his crime, I’m just telling you that’s how it is. If you and Hyun want to throw your lives away, then you’re throwing ours away too, whether you mean to or not,” Ivan explained, “Obviously Luka has a will to live and I…I care about you, Till. A lot. I don’t want you to die. Don’t say things like that.”

Till was restless and irritated, continuing to claw at his collar as if it were choking him, “The Aliens sure are evil, aren’t they? Making us choose between ourselves and the ones we grew up with or innocent lives. I guess it doesn’t matter, since we’ll miss several days of practice without Luka and Hyunwoo around. We probably already lost.”

Ivan opened his mouth to argue, to reassure Till that if they tried hard enough they could still win, but Till was right.

Maybe it was foolish to hope. Maybe they had been damned from the very start.

When Ivan didn’t respond, Till huffed and shook his head, “Whatever. I’m going back home. If you hear anything about those two from your guardian, let me know.”

Ivan knew full well Unsha wouldn’t lift a finger to speak to Ivan, he only sent messages wherever he deemed necessary. And even this was not a situation in which Unsha would deem a message necessary.

“I will. Go get some rest,” Ivan agreed for Till’s sake, offering a sorry excuse of a smile.

Till only nodded, turning and walking back to his house. Ivan was left alone in the suffocating silence of their world, feeling heavy with guilt and sadness. He decided that despite the weight of the realization that all of this might be for nothing, he’d still do everything in his power to keep Till alive. Even if it meant kicking Luka’s ass when he came back.

Chapter Text

Ivan grimaced at the outfit in his dressing room. He was to wear tan chinos, a black turtleneck, and a blindingly bright red blazer. Who in their right mind decided this would be a good pick in any way, shape, or form? Despite his disgust at the alarming color of the blazer, he put it on, sighing heavily afterward. It was about as unflattering as he imagined it would be. He plucked a white rose from a vase nearby, using a safety pin to attach it on his left breast. Even if his outfit was a bright nightmare, at least the rose made it look intentional. After adjusting the questionable choice of fashion in the lit mirror beside him, he styled his hair, running a comb through the silky black strands. He decided to part his hair, gelling it in place to frame the sides of his face. It actually seemed to suit the ridiculous outfit well, he looked like some kind of host.

Once Ivan was satisfied, he released a breath, putting down the comb.

It had been a rough few days. Hyunwoo ended up being in the clinic for two days, while Luka had been in containment for three. During that time, Ivan and Till didn’t really interact much. Till remained closed off in his home and avoided speaking with Ivan. Ivan respected his space, though he wished Till would talk to him about it. Once Till finished writing their song, that’s when he finally decided to spend some time with Ivan. The two of them ended up practicing the song by themselves while the others were gone, trying to get as familiar with it as possible for the coming days ahead.

Hyunwoo returned after those two days and informed them he thankfully had only suffered a minor concussion, most of the damage had been done to the outside of his head, which was an easy fix. The Aliens possessed technology that was able to speed up human healing tremendously. What may have taken a week or more to heal on his own only took a couple of days, the wounds completely erased as if they were never there. Hyunwoo was able to return without a scratch left on him. He was perfectly fine, much to Till and Ivan’s relief.

Luka, on the other hand, returned with a collar on his neck similar to Till’s. The kind meant to sedate its user if their heart rate gets too high. Hyun ended up testing the collar out the day Luka returned, shouting obscenities at him and shoving Luka around until he went unconscious from the collar’s sedative. And when he woke up, he was so out of it he didn’t speak for several hours, only smiling unnervingly at whoever spoke to him.

Needless to say, they only were able to practice their song once altogether. Ivan didn’t have high hopes for how today would go, but he was confident that he and Till could carry the song if necessary. At the very least, the two of them were prepared.

Ivan steeled himself and exited his dressing room, stepping into the hallway that led backstage. He really hoped the girls didn’t make another surprise appearance, they couldn’t afford to be thrown off their game any more than they already were. He hesitantly made his way backstage, finding that only Luka was waiting, Till and Hyunwoo still getting ready. The blonde was smiling expectantly at the hallway Ivan came from, though seemed a bit disappointed when he realized it was Ivan and not someone else. Ivan felt a mix of irritation and disgust. He hoped Luka wasn’t expecting the girls, especially after what happened a few days ago. Wasn’t the whole reason he and Hyunwoo got in a fight was because Luka wanted to see the girls get sacrificed? Why in the world would he be expecting them?

“Do you need to review the lyrics?” Ivan pointedly asked, as Luka had practiced the least and clearly needed to focus. In fact, because Luka had barely practiced, Till would be the only one performing with an instrument today.

Luka stood up, his silky bright red sleeves shimmering in the light, juxtaposed against his black vest and khaki dress pants. His outfit, though just as ridiculous as Ivan’s, still seemed to suit his princely figure, his light hair tied back loosely.

“I’ll be fine, I have an excellent memory,” he responded, passing Ivan and sauntering over to the TV to watch the announcer.

Ivan rolled his eyes at that, and just as he opened his mouth to insist Luka look again, Till and Hyun joined them. Till was actually dressed up nicely for once, wearing red dress pants, a loosely tucked in black button up, a pair of round glasses without lenses, and a tan boater hat. Ivan’s hand flew over his mouth, trying to keep himself from laughing with glee. Till looked so cute Ivan could barely handle it.

Till flushed red, growling, “I had no say in this!”

“What do you mean? You look great! Besides, we all kind of look a bit dorky, probably because of the type of song we’re going to be singing,” Hyunwoo replied, patting Till heartily on the shoulder. Hyun was also dressed up unlike his usual style, though of the bunch, his outfit was the least offensive. He was wearing black dress pants, a tan suit blazer, and a red, loosely buttoned dress shirt. His hair was partially gelled back, some of his hair allowed to lay wherever it pleased over his eyes, giving him the impression of a slightly disheveled businessman.

“Easy for you to say,” Till grumbled, mirroring Ivan’s thoughts, “How about we switch outfits?”

“Not a chance!” Hyun said with a casual smile, absolutely no trace of the confusion or pain that still haunted Ivan, “But I would like to review the lyrics again before we start.”

Ivan was relieved when Till handed over his notebook, allowing Hyunwoo to go over the lyrics. He mouthed the words to himself, humming the tune as Ivan stepped beside Luka to watch the TV. The announcer was continuing to rile up the audience, apparently doing some kind of voting activity. Ivan didn’t even want to know what it was the Aliens were voting for. But whatever it was, it seemed to be ending soon.

Till was testing his guitar strings, making sure the guitar was in tune and ready to go. Hyunwoo finished up quickly, handing the notebook back to Till, who set it down on a table nearby.

“Too bad we didn’t have time for some fancy choreography,” Hyun lamented, “We could really break some hearts with this song!”

“That was the plan, wasn’t it?” Luka asked detachedly.

“If only someone didn’t throw a wrench in it,” Hyunwoo muttered through clenched teeth.

“Enough,” Ivan quietly scolded, “We’re about to start.”

Despite the wonderful fact that the girls hadn’t come back to bother them, there was a palpable tension in the air. As if all four boys finally understood the consequences if they did poorly, the weight of their choices looming close enough for a harsh reality check. Each round, death grew nearer and nearer. Whether it was theirs or the girls’, nobody would know until the final round.

Till readied his guitar.
Ivan steeled himself.
Hyunwoo went stiff.
Luka smiled wide.

It was time.

The four of them slipped on their stage personas like a garment, strutting onto the stage with confidence despite the fact that one of their members nearly killed the other, despite the fact that they had performed horribly last round, despite the fact many of them were wondering whether any of this was worth the outcome. But none of that mattered now. In this moment, they portrayed an unstoppable team. And damn it was convincing.

The Aliens cheered at the sight of them, excited despite their failures, bloodthirsty, Ivan realized. These creatures really saw them as exciting circus animals dancing their way straight to the slaughterhouse. Nevertheless, he presented a fresh-faced smile to the audience, mixing his usual cool demeanor with boyish charm. He and Till were at the front again, Hyunwoo and Luka behind them if only to spare them from the spotlight if they messed up their lines.

When the cheering died down, Till hammered out a beat on his guitar and started them off with a slower, sweet melody, “I feel so pathetic whenever I stand in front of you.”

“Scenario: Crush!” Hyunwoo and Luka chimed in behind them.

“I can’t say a word, I turn back around every day,” Ivan came in strong, winking at the audience, Luka harmonizing with him, “No, my stimulating love explodes. Open up your ears, please understand me.”

“Do you love me?” All of them together, “Don’t you leave me!”

“I’ll probably get it across to you for sure!” Till sang out with all his heart.

“Close the distance between us, to be inside your heart…” Ivan poured his love for Till in the very words, even knowing the lyrics were not written for them.

“Do you love me? Don’t you hate me?” All of them intoned.

“I get scared again like an idiot, widen the distance between us,” Till’s voice was so lovely to Ivan’s ears.

“Mi Vida Loca!”

Their song was ‘bright and bubbly’ just like Till wanted, a sweet thing that would give anyone listening a toothache. Ivan tried not to think about who the lyrics were intended for, jealousy threatening to eat him up alive if he continued that line of thinking. Instead, he channeled all his energy into the audience. He and the other boys played up their charisma and confidence, doing their best to make the audience swoon as if the song was meant for them. Ivan kept his eyes locked on the camera as he sang, hoping that those girls saw his ferocity and understood that he would do whatever it took to win. They had this round in the bag, they were practically spearing the Alien’s hearts. The crowd was eating it up, going wild. Luka and Hyun were doing exceptionally well given the circumstances, not even a minor slip-up holding them back.

And as Ivan had hoped, when they finished, the crowd was cheering their names. They had done exceptionally well to make up for their last round. Ivan smiled wide, proud and victorious, sweat dripping down his back from the heat of the flashing stage lights. Despite the fact that Luka and Hyunwoo barely practiced, they still did it. They had reclaimed some of their favor, possibly won the round too, though there was no telling what the girls had in store. Hesitance crept up Ivan’s neck, smothering a bit of his joy. He suddenly had a feeling that the reason the girls hadn’t come to see them today was because they had something worse up their sleeves.

Even so, the boys left the stage, riding high off of their success, confident and happy with how everything went. Once Ivan was safely back in their waiting area backstage, he wiped the sweat from his brow and removed his red blazer, rolling up his sleeves. He was hot, happy, and nervous all at once. He tossed the blazer on an empty chair and allowed himself a genuine smile.

“Great job, everyone!” he congratulated his friends, feeling relieved by the muffled sound of the crowd continuing to clap and cheer even though the boys were no longer in sight.

“Yeah…that went surprisingly well,” Hyunwoo agreed, pointedly glancing at Luka.

“Like I told you before: I have an excellent memory,” was all Luka said in reply, a smile strangely absent from his expression as he immediately went over to the TV. Was he…disappointed?

Ivan shook his head at Luka, not understanding why he was so flippant. He almost killed Hyun for wanting to throw the match, but now that they did well, he was disappointed? Though…the way Luka was watching the TV screen so expectantly…maybe it had nothing to do with the round itself and everything to do with the fact the girls didn’t show up like last time. Whatever the reason, Ivan was beyond irritated at Luka’s confusing behavior.

Ivan decided before he gave the girls an ounce of attention, he wanted to continue to bask in their victory. He went over to Till and playfully punched his shoulder, maybe a little harder than he meant to judging by the way Till recoiled.

“That song was great, Till! Once again, you prove to be a music god,” Ivan told him, grinning while Till rubbed his shoulder annoyedly.

“Thanks…I did what I could,” Till carefully replied, eyes narrowed as if he were expecting a full out brawl.

“And what you can do deserves praise,” Ivan told him in a bit of a gentler tone, hoping Till didn’t think he was patronizing him, “You’re very talented, you know that?”

Your songs may save us yet, Ivan wanted to add, though he knew it wasn’t the right thing to say. It would put far too much pressure on him.

Till blushed, turning away. Despite how cute it was, Ivan pretended not to notice to spare him the embarrassment, turning to speak with the others. Till said nothing as Ivan also congratulated Luka and Hyunwoo, especially Hyunwoo, Ivan very proud of both of their abilities to perform under stressful circumstances.

As Ivan was congratulating them, his eyes flickered over to the TV screen. The girls were already performing to what sounded like a somber, slow song. They were all wearing red today, similar to the boys, although their outfits did not match perfectly. Rather than bright red, their outfits were crimson like blood. They each wore blouses cut at their shoulders with a long, flowing train behind them attached to an ornate corset piece, a short, lacey black skirt tying the ensemble together. They looked regal, hair curled and shining with flecks of gold. They looked so lovely that Ivan’s heart sank.

Ivan rushed over to the TV, practically running Luka over in his desperate dash to see what they were up to. Oddly enough, the song seemed to be mostly instrumental, the girls performing an elaborate dance routine that was graceful and slow, a dance between the three of them that their flowing garments seemed to emphasize well. They sang each of the few lyrics together, no solos this round. They moved, sang, and danced as one, an unbreakable alliance stronger than steel. This was yet another song that displayed the girls’ devotion to one another, raising themselves higher than the boys could ever dream of reaching.

“You and me, or ‘we’, me together with you. At last, we reach the star below. To eternity, or perhaps even beyond…”

The lyrics were simple and sweet, their voices angelic, and the backing track rich to the ears. Ivan found himself once again scraping his teeth against the nail of his thumb, jealous and horrified at the talent of the competition. This song…it was so full of raw emotion that it made the boys’ earlier performance seem childish. It was clear now to Ivan that the reason the girls hadn’t tried to sabotage them again is because they didn’t even view them as a threat anymore. The girls had already guaranteed their victory.

“You and me, or ‘we’, when the twilight falls and gently embraces us. Our hearts will burst into joyful bloom. We ride the wind to a place beyond time…”

The lights were low, the mood was somber, and the audience almost seemed teary at the girls’ sincere display of love for one another. The first performance had been completely forgotten in the wake of this tragic and beautiful display.

Damn them all, they won another round. They boys didn’t stand a chance.

Ivan ignored the traitorous screams and cheers of the Alien crowd, turning away from the TV and trying to ignore the roaring in his ears. He scowled at the floor, gnashing his teeth. What could he do? How could he win if this is what they were up against? How could he guarantee Till’s safety?? There wasn’t much time left. There was only one more round before their very last performance. There was only one more chance to win over the audience and make it a tie before the Gut Ritual. He wouldn’t waste another second of his precious time seething in the enemy’s shadow.

As Ivan began to storm through the hallway towards the dining room, completely furious and afraid of what he might lose, a hand suddenly grabbed him from his left and pulled him into a dressing room. Ivan made a small, guttural sound of surprise as he stumbled onto the plush floor of the room, the door slamming shut behind him. Just as he tried to sit up and grab at the mysterious attacker, a hand slipped over his mouth. He found himself staring into the fierce, golden eyes of Mizi. He was shocked yet unsurprised all at once, though he couldn’t help but be impressed she had gotten here so quickly.

“Don’t say a word. Just…no, I don’t have time. They’ll realize I’m gone if I don’t go to dinner. Take this,” she whispered quickly, sliding a piece of paper into his hands and releasing him. He swallowed his astonishment and relaxed a little at the absence of her touch. He had half a mind to rip it up in front of her, but the way she knowingly held his gaze…he hesitated. He glanced at the thing in his hands, a folded-up piece of paper barely the size of his palm, and decided whatever this was had to be important enough for Mizi to risk punishment.

“I have to go,” Mizi continued, opening the dressing room door a crack to peer through. She shot Ivan a nervous smile and slipped back out of the dressing room as if she were never there.

How strange.

Ivan opened up the little paper, reading the message she left on it. “Meet me in the girl’s dining room after dark. I’ve discovered something that could save your love.”

A strained smile grew on his face without his permission, muscles painfully tense. He didn’t dare hope it was anything more than a trap, in fact he was afraid this meant Till was a target. But he already knew he would go, and when he did, it would be alone to ensure that only he would be hurt if it really was a trap. But if there were any possible way Till could be guaranteed to be safe…no, Ivan couldn’t bring himself to feel any optimism.

He ripped the paper into pieces and held them tightly in his fist, as if squeezing them hard enough would force the truth to leak out. Whatever her intention, he decided to entertain Mizi, just this once. Just in case she really did have a way to save his dearest love.

Chapter Text

Mizi laid with Sua in her bed, silently running her slender fingers through the sleeping woman’s strands of moon-flecked raven hair. The false stars shone in from the window, highlighting Sua’s prim face as she slept. Mizi could stare at Sua for hours, she was beautiful as a sculpture, a living work of art. Her breathing was slow and steady, the sound relaxing to Mizi, proof that her love was alive and relaxed. She wished she could sleep right along with her, but unfortunately she had work to do. What was it the Earth-old people used to say? ‘No rest for the wicked’?

Despite the hatred she knew Ivan most likely harbored towards her after what she had pulled their second round, she also knew that he had someone very dear to him. The way he always looked at that silver-haired boy, the little things he did to display his protective nature…she knew he’d do anything for him. Which is why, out of all of them, he was the perfect person to speak with. And Mizi had a lot to say. She had learned a lot over the past few days…especially after her blood test came in. A part of her was actually excited to share the truth about herself with someone, even if they didn’t exactly like one another. Just being able to share her secret with someone who didn’t have any ties to her would take a bit of the weight off her chest.

After waiting for a few more minutes, she decided now was the time. She carefully sat up in the bed, waiting for a moment to confirm that Sua was still asleep by listening for rhythm in her breaths, then carefully swung her leg over the bedside and stood up. She stood for another moment until she was sure Sua hadn’t stirred, then slid the papers she wanted to bring up her sleeve and slipped out of the house.

Now there were only three reasons why an Alien would enter their world. One: to punish one of them, two: to collect them to visit with their guardian, or three: to provide medical treatment. The only way Mizi could ensure no one else would follow her would be to invoke the third. Mizi crossed the flowery field, stepping in perfect view of several cameras. She’d have to do this right, otherwise it may either kill her or not be enough for an Alien to intervene. She had several hours to think about this and had selected an option that would be the least likely to break her spine.

Mizi steeled herself, facing a large, sharp rock hidden in the long grass. She tried her best to act natural, taking a moment to look up at the stars and appear contemplative. Then she stepped forward, forced her toes into the stone, and fell directly onto the rock. She let herself cry out, albeit a bit more muffled than it might’ve naturally been to keep Sua and Hyuna from waking, and clutched her leg. Good, as far as the Aliens knew, she had merely tripped and fell. Not only were her toes scraped to hell and pulsed with pain as if she may have sprained or broke something, but her shin had a nice, long gash that bled profusely. It looked a whole lot worse than it really was, though she played up the pain, weeping as if something terrible had happened to her.

Just as she had hoped, the Aliens were quick to respond. She had only been laying there for a few minutes before two Alien Medics appeared from a hidden door. They poked and prodded a bit, cleaning the wounds only enough to assess the damage. Funnily enough, they seemed much more concerned about her foot than her leg. Concerned enough to gently lift Mizi onto a stretcher and quickly take her away. Mizi continued to cry, though she vigilantly looked for where the door was. At first, it appeared they were just leading her towards a forest. Then all of a sudden the sky became a wall, and just as Mizi became frightened they were going to smack against it, a door opened. The light from the white hallway was blinding, Mizi unable to open her eyes for a moment until they adjusted from the dim night to piercing white, fluorescent light.

This would only work once. She had to be quick and smart. If they caught her, it would be over. This chance would never come again.

She let them carry her in the hallways for a while as she continued to sniffle and cry, just to get some distance from home, but then she decided it was enough. She sprung out of the stretcher, and dropped to the Alien’s feet, immediately scrambling between their strange legs and down the hallway. She sprinted down the white halls with her bare feet, leaving an unfortunate trail of blood. No good, she couldn’t let them follow her that easy! She made a sharp left turn and skidded to a stop, quickly ripping off part of her white gown to wrap around her shin and staunch the blood. As soon as it was tied securely, she shot back into a run, going through the little she remembered of the layout in her head.

She had only been down the hallway that led from the dining room the three times she performed, the only other times she had seen these hallways were either when she was in trouble and being taken to their Punishment Room or when she needed to be brought to the medical bay, both of which had only happened a handful of times in her life. Needless to say, she unfortunately wasn’t very familiar with the hallway layout. She passed doors, cameras, and occasionally guards who stumbled after her, completely taken by surprise. This was no good, she may be able to outrun them thanks to her head start, but if she had a bunch of Aliens on her tail…she had to shake them off. She couldn’t keep running around like this forever.

Mizi continued zipping through the maze-like halls, looking for anything familiar as well as somewhere she could hide without trapping herself. Then she saw it. Her freedom. She saw a vent that seemed to be large enough to fit her inside, the cover already loose as if someone else had thought of the same thing she had long ago. She slid towards it and almost slammed right into the thing, though she was able to stop herself before she collided and made a huge noise. She quickly removed the loose screws holding it in place and climbed inside. She wouldn’t be able to put the vent cover back, but she left it inside the vent so that it hopefully was less noticeable. After all, the Aliens towered above her, this vent was far below their line of sight.

Squirming through the vent ducts like a worm under dirt, Mizi dragged herself far enough away from the opening she came from where she could take a much-needed break. She caught her breath, pleased with herself for making it this far, though where she would need to go next was a mystery. She really hoped Ivan would be able to find his own way, otherwise this would be all for nothing. Eventually the Aliens would find her again, she was sure they most likely had some trick up their sleeve to guarantee their precious pet humans wouldn’t get lost.

Once she had caught her breath, she began making her way down the vents, trying to be as quick and as quiet as possible. She tried to remember if there was a vent in the dining room, recalling that she oftentimes heard some kind of fan or AC above her. Maybe if she listened for the sound of a fan, it would lead her in the right direction. So that’s exactly what she did, moving as fast as she could, dragging her body forward.

The longer she stayed in the tight space, the more uncomfortable and restricting it became. The idea that she could only go forward and couldn’t turn around made her head pound with worry. If she encountered something ahead of her…she didn’t even want to consider it. The vents had started out clean, but the further she went, the dirtier the space became. She had to crawl through thick layers of dust and strange, sticky goop, the stuff getting all over her and coating her perfect white gown with the disgusting stuff. She supposed on Earth it might have been worse, remembering stories Shine used to tell her of swarms of insects, bugs, and pests ridden with diseases infesting every nook and cranny they could find. No, on this Alien planet, the only insects and animals that were brought back from the destroyed Earth were ones that aided with creating human food. Honeybees, earthworms, livestock, even butterflies were allowed to stay. Everything else was gone.

Mizi and Sua often spoke about what Earth may have been like. The Aliens always talked so poorly of that planet, calling it ‘The Land of Human Waste’. Mizi wondered how true that was…would humans have destroyed it first if the Aliens didn’t?

Mizi shook herself out of it, trying to stay focused. Her hands were sticky and covered with grimy dust, she refused to look at them for fear of making herself sick. The vent made a sudden turn to the left, and after following it for a while, it split off into two directions. Mizi stopped at the divide, listening carefully. The left was silent, she could only hear the echo of Alien voices. The right, on the other hand, had a faint buzzing sound. She went right, continuing to crawl forward.  She was beginning to wish she had continued running down the halls, this was starting to get torturous, especially since her neck and back were starting to hurt.

On and on she went through the narrow vents, hating that she was practically stuck until she found a way out. She was even considering just taking whatever opening came her way at this point, desperate to get out and walk. But then she struck gold. The buzzing sound was growing louder and louder until it became a roar. Her pathway was blocked by a huge whirring fan, though just in front of it was an opening. Unlike the way she came in, this opening was on the bottom. Which meant she’d have to drop down onto whatever lay below and pray she didn’t make much noise. But that was the easier problem, the most pressing was how she’d get the vent cover off from the inside.

She pushed on it using all of her strength, might, and bodyweight, but it didn’t budge. She risked the noise and banged on it as hard as she could, rattling the thin metal. Still nothing. She was starting to panic, wondering if it was possible for her to turn around when a pair of dark eyes suddenly appeared in the grate. Her hands flew to her mouth, stifling a shriek, though she relaxed when she realized it was a human. It was Ivan, staring at her with a grin.

“Clever girl,” Ivan purred, “I didn’t think a human could fit in these vents. I suppose you need help getting out?”

Mizi nodded, whispering, “Yes, please! Let me out of here!”

“You’re right above the dining table, which is how I’m able to reach you,” Ivan quietly whispered, “I can use a knife to unscrew the vent cover, but you’ll need to be careful when you get out or you’ll make too much noise.”

Mizi nodded again in response, feeling uneasy and anxious to get out. Ivan looked at her for a moment through the slits in the grate, then bent over and picked up a knife from the table he was standing on top of. He reached up and used the knife to quickly unscrew the screws holding the vent cover in place. It wasn’t long before the cover dropped into his hands. Mizi audibly sighed with relief, not wasting a moment. She grabbed hold of the edge of the vent and dragged her body over it. She squirmed around to see if she could turn enough to get out legs first, but it was no good. She’d have to fall out headfirst.

She grabbed as tight a hold as she could on the edge of the open vent and pulled herself out. Ivan watched for a moment with a smirk, as if he was enjoying watching her struggle to get out, until he finally offered a hand, “Here, hold onto me.”

Though Mizi’s cheeks burned with embarrassment at the fact that she couldn’t get out by herself without falling headfirst into the table, she reached out for Ivan. He wrapped his arms around hers and slowly pulled her out. She fell hard against him, but he caught her before she made any noise. He quickly put her down, showing no signs of shyness despite how close they were. Mizi was relieved she was finally out of there, albeit covered in mystery muck and dust. She took a moment to brush herself off and released a stressed breath, so happy she was out of there.

“Thank you,” she said with sincerity, now feeling a bit guilty she had caused Ivan so much grief. He really was a good person after all. “Come on, let’s hide under the table while we speak in case the Aliens decide to look in here.”

Ivan silently obliged as Mizi got on her hands and knees and went under the table, the black tablecloth long enough to obscure them both from view. Once her and Ivan were settled, she began, knowing they didn’t have long. She pulled out the papers she had brought from her sleeve and handed him the first one, rolling up her sleeves for Ivan to see the blue markings on her arms. He glanced at the paper, though the color and shape of the marks caught his eye.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve had these markings. My guardian thought they were some kind of skin condition, but they’ve been spreading. She did some blood tests on me recently and we found out that I’m half Alien. My blood has both human and Alien DNA. And…I was related to the last known Hunter.”

Ivan looked at paper she had given him with her blood test results, inspecting it more thoroughly, his brows furrowed in confusion. Mizi allowed him a moment to read before she continued.

“My mother’s name was Micha Im, she was raised to be a provider until she displayed some abilities of a Hunter. She was then left to die in the streets, though at some point an Alien impregnated her and she had me. I was found and taken to an adoption center, where Shine found me.”

Mizi was so grateful Shine had given her all the information and resources she had asked for after they had found out the results of her blood test. Her guardian had been so helpful, giving her knowledge other pet humans might not have been so lucky to obtain from their own masters.

“Do you have a soul?” Ivan interrupted before Mizi said anything further, looking up from the paper and into her golden eyes.

The question only took Mizi off-guard for a second, before she answered with a simple “I don’t know.”

“Hmm. Does anyone else know about this?”

Mizi shook her head, “Only my guardian, the doctor who took my blood, and now you.”

“So then you might be immune to Gwi-Ma, theoretically anyway,” Ivan whispered, “Either that or you may be pulled from Alien Stage altogether.”

“Right,” Mizi confirmed, “But as I said, my mother was a Hunter. I didn’t really know what that meant, so I asked my guardian to explain it to me and she sent me a book. The book was a record of all Earth’s previous Hunters and went into the reasons they existed in the first place. Gwi-Ma’s apparently older than even Earth, and back then he took whatever souls he pleased. Hunters protected humans from having their souls taken by performing their own song ritual they called ‘Honmoon’. Since that affects the Alien’s deal with Gwi-Ma, they’ve been trying to eradicate the Hunters from their planet. So, I don’t really know if it would be a good idea for my guardian to share this information with anyone, even if it means I wouldn’t have to participate in Alien Stage anymore.”

Mizi showed him the pages she’d ripped from the book Shine had gifted her that explained what Hunters were and had her mother’s name written as the ‘last known hunter’. Ivan looked at all the papers and his eyes widened as he put the pieces together.

“Wait…do you think could you stop the Gut ritual?” Ivan asked in a soft voice, tone full of hesitant hope.

“Yes, I think so, which is why I wanted to speak with you. The book didn’t really describe how Honmoon works, but I’m sure I can figure it out,” Mizi answered with a smile, “As long as the Aliens don’t find out about what I am, I can save everyone. There doesn’t have to be any sacrifice, Ivan, maybe we could all live. But I need your help. I need you to convince your friends to refuse to sing the Gut song to buy me some time.”

Ivan stared at her for a moment, and she could practically feel his assessment of her and her words. Despite the fact that she came bearing proof, Ivan still seemed hesitant. Of course it seemed too good to be true, it sounded an awful lot like a cheap way for the girls to guarantee victory. What was she thinking, of course he’d be suspicious after what they already pulled! Even if he held the results of the blood test in his hands and the ripped pages of an informative book, how did he know she was telling the truth?

“That’s…a big ask,” Ivan responded carefully, “Unless you can guarantee that you can free us all from the Gut ritual without any sacrifices, I can’t promise you anything.”

“The girls won’t sing it either,” Mizi blurted out, “Even if it doesn’t work out, if none of us sing, what can they do?”

“Kill us all,” Ivan responded grimly, “They’d sacrifice all of us. The only reason they have Alien Stage at all is for their sick entertainment. They don’t care about us.”

“Some do! My guardian does!” Mizi argued, though she knew even her own argument was weak. Shine did care for her, but only in the way one might care for an animal. Mizi knew if she died, Shine would only mourn for a little while and then quickly find a replacement.

Ivan only smiled as he said, “I’m glad you spoke to me. I’ll discuss it with my friends, but I’ll leave the decision up to them. That’s the only thing I can promise you.”

Mizi nodded, a bit disappointed, but she understood. After all, in a way she was sort of gambling Sua and Hyuna’s life too, wasn’t she? She needed to tell them first.

“Alright. I’ll do the same. Just…keep it in mind,” she responded, “I promise you I’ll do everything I can to keep our loved ones safe.”

Ivan gave the papers back to Mizi and searched her face for a second. Whatever he saw caused him to give her a small parting smile.

“We better head back before they put collars on our necks. Good luck, Hunter.”

Then he ducked under the tablecloth and was gone.

Chapter Text

Ivan went the way he came, crossing over to the boys’ dining room and going down the hallway. He avoided cameras and Aliens as he went, though there admittedly weren’t many places to hide. He was actually surprised the Aliens hadn’t done anything to stop him, though maybe they had more pressing matters to deal with.

As he went down the blinding white hallways, he digested all Mizi had to say. He was inclined to believe her, given she had crawled through grimy vents and destroyed her leg and foot just to speak with him. She even provided proof.

He sighed unhappily. It wasn’t necessarily that he didn’t believe her, but to put Till’s life on the line when she wasn’t even sure how to perform the Honmoon ritual…it seemed like a bad idea. Of course, it would be wonderful if everyone could live, but what would it cost to try? He decided he’d at the very least discuss it with his peers…though that admittedly may not end so well either. How would they feel if he wasted his opportunity to escape on speaking to a girl? Maybe he was the foolish one for having agreed to this at all. Maybe they would have been better off using their resources to escape rather than go against a god. Had he wasted his one chance to escape on Mizi?

Then he realized something. If all else failed…he now held a trump card. Mizi had told him a secret that could get her killed. If he told Unsha that she was a Hunter…his guardian would spread the news and Mizi would disappear, guaranteeing the boys’ victory. He couldn’t imagine the other girls would fight to survive if one of them vanished.

He shook his head at himself. He couldn’t be that cruel. Even to save Till…would he cast away his humanity and sentence the others to death? Besides, if it did work out, wouldn’t that mean Alien Stage would no longer exist? If Mizi could defeat Gwi-Ma, there would be no reason for the Aliens to continue their precious show. Future generations could be saved.

What a dilemma.

Ivan almost made it to the end of the hallways before he was stopped by guards. He smiled sweetly at them and showed him his bandaged hand.

“I got a little lost on the way to the clinic,” was all he said, grinning at them.

Similar to what he assumed Mizi did, he had purposefully cut himself deep on the hand with a knife while preparing dinner, reopening the healing injury from when he the shattered that bathroom mirror. The Aliens have always had the uncanny ability to know when one of them was gravely injured or sick and would always send a medic their way. He wasn’t sure how it worked, only that it did. Other than hurting himself, his only other option to get the Aliens in the Fishbowl would have been to start a fight with someone, which most likely would have ended up with him in a collar and the other being sent to the clinic. This way was best. Only he would have to worry. After allowing himself to be treated, he had broken away from the guards and ran around until he lost them before making his way to the dining room.

But now that both he and Mizi had successfully escaped, he was sure the Aliens wouldn’t allow this to happen again. And he was right.

The guards grabbed Ivan and shot something yellow into his arm. He immediately lost control of his body, his eyes drooping and limbs going weak. He felt them lift him in the air and then he was out like a light.

Ivan woke up in his bed, feeling slow and groggy with the aftereffects of whatever it was they injected him with. For a moment, he struggled to remember what happened, his only thought that he wanted to go back to sleep. A hand brushed the hair away from his face, and it felt so nice he found himself grabbing the hand, snaring it so that it stayed against his face. He opened his eyes and found a blurry Till staring down at him with a half-worried-half-angry expression.

“You tried to escape, didn’t you?” Till asked quietly.

Ivan nodded, his memory slowly returning to him.

“I talked to Mizi,” he recalled, tongue heavier than usual.

Till’s hand disappeared from his grasp, coldness replacing where his warmth had been.

“Why? What happened?” Till’s voice was demanding, as if he expected something terrible.

“She asked me to. She had good news…I think…” Ivan responded, far too tired and bleary to speak about it. It was just so hard to remember the details, hard to focus with Till sitting so close beside him, “Till, why don’t you lay down with me? It’s so late…”

“That explains why you cut yourself,” Till responded, lifting up Ivan’s bandaged limp hand accusingly, “And it’s morning already, idiot! You were missing most of the night! Nobody knew where you were!”

“I came back,” Ivan responded with a drowsy smile, “Were you worried about me?”

“Of course!” Till replied, his worry melting completely into anger, “What were you thinking?! Were you really just going to leave us here without saying anything?! The Aliens could have decided to kill you, and we wouldn’t have even known! What exactly did Mizi have to say that was important enough to both of you to risk your neck?”

“Till, I’m really tired, can we talk about this later? We have all week before the next round,” Ivan mumbled, body so heavy and exhausted, “I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

Ivan was moments away from falling back to sleep before Till slammed his arms against the mattress around Ivan’s head, his furious face inches away from his own, “You’re always playing games and hiding things from me and I’m sick of it! Just fucking tell me right now! I need to know what happened!”

Ivan’s eyes fluttered open again, surprised at Till for being so bold. Or maybe he didn’t know what he just walked into. His mouth upturned into a cheshire grin as he slowly, ever so slowly, brought his hands to Till’s face. He cupped Till’s face in his hands, causing him to tense up in surprise as Ivan held him there for a moment, admiring the blush that began to spread on Till’s cheeks. Before Till could ask what he was doing, Ivan pulled Till’s body roughly against his own, their mouths colliding in a passionate kiss. Ivan’s heart was beating hard in his throat, clutching Till like the lifeline he was. Till’s lips were firm and a bit chapped, exactly as he always imagined they would feel like, even if he didn’t kiss Ivan back. And the way he was on top of him…it just about made Ivan go crazy. If only he wasn’t so tired…

Unfortunately, Till ripped away, breathless and flushed, getting off of Ivan before anything else happened. He held a hand over his mouth, staring at Ivan with a conflicted expression, a hint of betrayal in his eyes.

“I’ve been keeping that from you for a long time,” Ivan drowsily murmured, eyes growing heavy once more.

This time, Till didn’t intervene when Ivan fell back asleep.

Till had enough. Ivan was a horrible, awful, annoying nuisance. And yet, he couldn’t get that damn kiss out of his mind.

He ended up leaving Ivan to sleep off the sedative, going back to his house and slamming the door shut tight. He tried to calm himself down, but his body was hot with so many conflicting things and his heart continued to beat a mile a minute…god did Ivan really affect him this much? At this rate he’d end up tranquilizing himself over something so stupid! He ended up taking a shower to literally chill himself out, torturing himself with freezing cold water to hopefully zap some sense into him. Him and Ivan? There was no way!

Now shivering, Till dressed into a clean white gown, scratching at his collar with irritation. He sat down at his table, thrusting his sketchbook towards him, angrily tapping his pencil against the wooden surface of the table. A new song. He had to write a new song. That would take his mind off of it until he could sort out his feelings.

Till started writing out a draft, though each line he wrote, he immediately crossed out.

Your hand in mine, side by side. Fly with me to the shores.
Why can’t you just tell me why? Tell me how you feel!
Allow me to the tips of your fingers, allow me to the tips of your feet.
Cradle me in your arms, tell me everything
Dissolve me in your gaze, let me drown in you.

He grit his teeth, traitorous cheeks spreading with hot blush. This wasn’t good, all the lyrics that came to mind were far too romantic! They needed something serious, something to really win the audience over! Yet again and again he only thought of Ivan, the stupid face he was making, the way he gently held him, the way his body felt underneath his…

“Argh!” Till grunted, tearing out the page of his sketchbook and hurling it across the room, “So fucking stupid!”

He put his head in his hands, trying to calm his heart, feeling far too many things to think straight. He blew out a breath and created a list in his head to try and straighten out some of his inner turmoil.

1. Ivan had escaped to see Mizi. He didn’t say why, but said it was good news.

2. Mizi wanted to talk to Ivan…why? Why him out of all of them?

3. And then…the kiss…and what Ivan said…

“I’ve been keeping that from you for a long time.”

What a dramatic bastard.

Till ran a hand through his hair, sighing shakily. He just needed to talk to Ivan again. Once he understood the situation better, then he could react. Until then…well what was he supposed to do until then? It’s not like he could confide this in Luka or Hyunwoo. They’d only laugh at him. Assholes.

He ended up brainstorming useless lyrics that he’d never use in their song for hours until he was so hungry it was actually pressing enough to bother with. He made himself a sandwich with some of the ingredients the Aliens had stocked his fridge with and looked out his window as he chewed, trying not to look at the house that was next to his own.

Nobody was up yet, even though their false sun had risen. Which meant he was stuck with his ridiculous thoughts for who knew how much longer. At this point he was contemplating waking that bastard up himself just so he could get Ivan out of his head. He finished up his sandwich and sighed, crossing his arms. What would he even say to Ivan after all that? Obviously the thing about Mizi was concerning…but…how could he even talk to that moron after what he did? Would he even remember? Till hoped that Ivan was drugged up enough to forget about what happened. Though…Till couldn’t deny the disappointment that flowed through him as he imagined Ivan acting like nothing happened.

“Me? Kissed you? Is that a personal fantasy of yours? I didn’t know you wanted me so badly!”

Till rolled his eyes at the idea, completely and utterly frustrated at himself. Which was it? Did he want Ivan to remember or not? Did he want Ivan to care? Did Till care? The kiss wasn’t so bad…was it? No, this was ridiculous! Him and Ivan?! Him…and Ivan?

…

Was it really so bad of an idea? Was it really so terrible knowing that his best friend loved him? Especially when they may die in a couple weeks anyway? Till had to admit he had always found Ivan attractive, after all he had a large portion of his sketchbook dedicated to drawings of Ivan. And now that he thought about it, Ivan had always sort of flirted with him, hadn’t he? He even asked Till to marry him when they were kids.

But did that mean Till felt the same way? Did he really want to get romantically involved with someone when death was so close? Was he even romantically interested in Ivan?

The only one Till had ever had a crush on was Mizi. He met her on one of the nights he was sent to be put in a stark white room where Aliens would ‘contain’ a naughty pet human without food for a few days depending on severity. As he was being escorted through the hallways, he saw a pretty girl with pink hair being taken the opposite direction. She was the only girl Till had ever seen, and her passing smile stuck in his head for years. He always thought about her and fantasized about her, imagining a future where they were both together and free before he even knew her name. And after meeting her, he couldn’t stop thinking about how beautiful she had become as an adult. She was even prettier than he had imagined she’d be.

Yet she was worlds away, untouchable. She obviously loved her own friends more than she’d ever love him. After all, her life would mean his death. There was no way it would ever work out between them, and he doubted Mizi would even want to if she could. It was a stupid, childish dream that was high time he grew out of. He’d only do more harm to himself than good.

He sighed, a bit sad to admit that to himself. It was aggravating that it took a kiss from Ivan for him to realize the truth.

Till shook his head at himself, annoyed that this was what he was worried about when there clearly was more going on. There was a reason Mizi and Ivan had snuck away in the night to speak to each other. Was it possible…they had a plan?

“She had good news…”

Till shot up out of his seat. Ivan had slept long enough. Till had to know what they talked about. And Ivan was going to tell him, romantic feelings or not.

Chapter Text

Mizi stood before Sua and Hyuna, both of them in various stages of shock. Once everyone had woken up that morning, she told them everything, all three of them huddled in Hyuna’s bathroom to avoid being seen or heard by cameras. It was such a wonderful relief to tell them, though at the same time, Mizi dreaded their oncoming reactions as she finished. Sua had already been distressed before Mizi had even said a word, extremely worried when she woke up alone, fears practically confirmed when Mizi had returned with a bloody leg and swollen toes. Sua had insisted she help clean and dress her injuries, but Mizi had waited until Hyuna was awake before she spilled the beans.

Now the beans had certainly been spilled, and Mizi couldn’t tell if her friends were horrified, disgusted, or surprised.

“I know it’s a lot, but we might all make it out alive!” Mizi quickly added with a reassuring smile, “As long as I can figure out how to summon the Honmoon anyway. The book Shine gave me didn’t really say how it works.”

It took them a moment to process what Mizi said. Sua became perfectly pokerfaced, though Hyuna’s shock transformed into determination.

“Can’t you ask Shine for more books? That way you can learn how to summon the Honmoon and guarantee it will work…right?” Hyuna finally asked.

Mizi hesitated. As helpful as Shine had been, Mizi had a feeling it largely had to do with the fact that Shine didn’t think Mizi would do anything drastic with the information. Shine viewed Mizi just like one might view a dog or cat in Earth-old times. Mizi knew Shine loved her, but Shine never would think her Pet Human was capable of doing anything against her masters. In fact, Shine probably assumed Mizi was only interested in learning about her mother. If she asked her guardian about anything else, then she’d most likely tip Shine off that she was planning on doing something against Gwi-Ma, and Mizi wasn’t sure how Shine would react to that. After all, Shine loved Alien Stage just like any other Alien, she probably wouldn’t want her Pet Human messing it up.

“I can’t,” was all Mizi said without explanation.

Hyuna and Sua looked at each other for a second, Hyuna cautiously optimistic while Sua’s face remained unreadable. Ivan was right, she was asking a lot of them. To refuse to sing the Gut song and put their lives into her hands when she didn’t even know how she’d accomplish this feat was suicide. Even so, Mizi rolled up the sleeves of her gown and showed them her scale-like markings.

“If I can’t figure it out, this will be plan B. Since I’m part Alien, I might not even have a soul that can be sacrificed. I’ll use that as leverage if I have to, I could show this to the crowd onstage. I’ll do whatever it takes. Please,” Mizi begged, “I need your guys’ help. I want everyone to live.”

Sua’s face twisted with emotion at the sight of Mizi’s arms, but she remained quiet. Hyuna stared at the markings for a moment, contemplating something.

“Well…I guess instead of outright refusing to sing for the Gut Ritual, what if we instead sang a different song with a similar tune but different words? That way it’s not immediately obvious and it can buy us some time,” Hyuna suggested.

Mizi quickly nodded, grinning at how smart her friend was, “Yeah, that’s a great idea! That could work!”

“You really are going to do this?” Sua suddenly asked quietly.

Mizi looked at her, surprised to see sadness lying in Sua’s dark irises.

“I’d like to try, yes. But I know I’m asking a lot of you guys, especially since we don’t really know what the boys will do. So I’ll only go through with it if you agree,” Mizi answered gently.

“I say it’s worth the risk,” Hyuna spoke up, “I mean can you imagine if all of us could live free? If we found a way to beat Alien Stage without sacrificing anyone? My brother and I could actually be a family! We could have a life all to ourselves! Maybe live on a farm or something nice. Plus, we have time to figure out a plan!”

Sua went quiet again, seemingly unsure what to think. Her brows furrowed, and she began to appear more and more upset.

“I think we should start planning right away,” Hyuna continued, “Mizi, could you grab the book Shine gave you? I want to read it with you to see if there’s anything we can use that might help us understand how the Honmoon works.”

“Sure! I’ll be right back!” Mizi announced, happy Hyuna was on board. She hurriedly stood up, though exited the bathroom as casually as she could so hopefully the Aliens didn’t pay much attention to her.

It wasn’t until Mizi was outside and heading to her house that she realized Sua was right behind her. The raven-haired woman roughly grabbed Mizi’s wrist and pulled her towards the camera’s blind spot behind the boulder.

“Mizi, you can’t do this,” Sua immediately began whispering in a strained tone, “After all our hard work…we’re so close to winning. You’re really going to throw all that away on the off-chance you could save the boys too? You hardly know them. You could live free without anyone knowing what you are.”

Mizi was taken aback, though what did she expect? It was true, they were definitely winning so far, all they had to do was seal the deal and they’d be guaranteed to live. In fact, she had purposely undermined the boys to do so, to ensure Sua and Hyuna would be safe. She completely understood why Sua was upset. Even so, Mizi shook her head.

“I’d be stupid not to try. I’m the only Hunter left, and a half Alien at that! If anyone has a chance at success, it’s me. I’ll still give the next round my all, but I want to try to do this.”

Sua looked on the verge of tears at that statement, as if her world was imploding on itself.

“This is a bad idea. You could be killed if you reveal yourself. And how long have you had those marks? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” her voice broke, unable to hide the betrayal she felt.

“I’ve always had them…but Shine told me it was nothing to worry about. I sort of always just hid them because to me it was just like an ugly blemish. But now that it’s spread so far…Sua I only just learned what it truly meant about a week ago. I promise I haven’t been trying to keep this from you,” Mizi reassured her, “I love you so dearly, you have no idea how badly I wanted to tell you the moment Shine suspected it. I just wanted to ensure it was true first.”

Sua seemed to soften a bit at that, though she shook her head.

“I want you to live, Mizi,” she whispered, “I promised myself I’d do whatever it takes to keep you alive.”

“Then help me,” Mizi begged, “Please. I want us all to live, the boys don’t deserve to die either. Help me figure out how to make this work.”

Sua opened her mouth, then shut it. Her expression became like stone, completely unreadable once again.

“I need some time to think,” she said quietly, “But I hope you’ll reconsider.”

“Sua—”

Sua stood up and marched away towards her own house, not looking back as she quickly left before Mizi could say another word. Mizi sat behind the rock, staring after her, unable to help but wonder if she was making a deadly mistake.

Hyuna waited in her bathroom, tapping her fingers against her knees idly as she waited for Mizi to return. She knew Sua probably wasn’t going to come back, as Sua had a personal mission to protect Mizi at all costs. Hyuna could respect that, hell she even agreed, she’d do that for her brother if she could. Which is why Mizi’s suggestion was so important to her. If they could possibly get everyone out of here without sacrificing any souls to Gwi-Ma, she was all for it.

But she knew Sua, and Sua wouldn’t agree to it unless Mizi could convince her it would work. In fact, that was the entire reason Hyuna wanted to read that book Mizi’s guardian had given her. Mizi had to have missed an important piece of information, the book had to say something about how the Honmoon worked. Otherwise…what could they do? Hope and pray?

Hyuna began humming to herself, shifting impatiently on the floor. The two of them must have been duking it out, it was taking way too long for the simple retrieval of a book. But just as she was about to stand up and check outside, Mizi swung into the bathroom looking defeated, though she held a book in her hands called The Hunter Encyclopedia along with two ripped pages.

Mizi offered the book to Hyuna and she grabbed it quickly, feeling hurried with anticipation. Surely there had to be something in this book that could help them. Hyuna glanced at the table of contents, not finding anything particularly useful to her as most of it dealt with the Hunters themselves. She flipped through the pages, searching each page for something, anything about the Honmoon.

As Hyuna began to skim through, she noticed that the ‘Hunters’ weren’t normally alone. In the Earth-old ages, Hunters performed live performances in groups of three, four, or five. The last known group before the Aliens destroyed earth was called Huntrix. Hyuna found this group in particular fascinated as they were one of the last generations who lived on earth, and apparently had managed to lock Gwi-Ma away from humans until the Aliens destroyed their planet and freed the evil god once again. But each and every Hunter seemed to perform the Honmoon in groups, which, according to the book, is why the first thing the Aliens set out to do was split Hunters apart and kill them to prevent anyone from going against Gwi-Ma again in order to protect their contract with him.

“Find anything?” Mizi asked with a bit of hope in her tone as Hyuna squinted at a particular page with the three Huntrix girls smiling on a grainy old photo.

“We may need more than one Hunter,” Hyuna responded in a grim tone, “Do you happen to know what makes someone a Hunter? This book doesn’t really say…is it always passed down from generations?”

Mizi nodded, “I think so. Shine said because my mother was a Hunter, that means I am one too. I’m assuming Hunters are born with the power…but I’m probably the only one left.”

Hyuna scratched her head. The more she read about the lives of these Hunters, the more insane it sounded. Fighting demons? Jumping out of flying aircraft? Slaying monsters? And whenever the book did mention something about Honmoon, it seemed like it was just a song they performed in front of a crowd. That couldn’t be right! Was it a certain song like the Gut Ritual? Or could any song summon the Honmoon? Did it have to have keywords or certain lyrics? What made the song special?

“Well maybe just one Hunter will work,” Hyuna said, though she doubted the words even as they came out of her mouth, “I just wish this damn book would explain how the Hunters summoned a Honmoon!”

“Maybe it’ll just happen naturally,” Mizi answered hesitantly, “Maybe my body will just know how to do it.”

“Well we can’t exactly count on that, can we? People’s lives are on the line here. We need a solid plan.”

Hyuna continued flipping through the book, determined to find some semblance of an answer to her questions. There was no way they could do this if they didn’t even know what it was they were trying to summon. Mizi seemed even more upset than she was before, and she shook her head.

“Maybe Sua’s right. Maybe it’s a bad idea and we should just continue with our original plan,” she suddenly said, voice so downcast.

Hyuna looked over at her in surprise, astonished at how quick Mizi was to throw in the towel.

“Hey, no, don’t say that! You said it yourself, we have a chance to save everyone, right? We have until the Gut ritual to figure this out and create a plan, that’s two whole weeks! We’ll figure it out!” she comforted Mizi, scooting over to her and throwing her arms around her, “If we can’t figure it out ourselves, you could either ask Shine, or I could find some other way to get that information. I think this will work, we just have to do some digging, okay?”

Mizi nodded in Hyuna’s arms, wet spots forming on Hyuna’s sleeves. She was crying…what on earth had Sua said to her? Hyuna gently ran her hand across Mizi’s back, trying to soothe her.

“It’s okay. We’ll make it work. We’ll save them all.”

Hyuna repeated herself over and over, trying to coax Mizi so she wouldn’t give up. However, the more Mizi relaxed in her grasp, the more Hyuna lost faith the words that were coming out of her own mouth. 

Chapter Text

Ivan was jostled awake by a very flustered and angry Till. He didn’t even have time to fully wake up and process anything before he was practically beat over the head with loud questions he couldn’t fully register.

“What did you talk to Mizi about?! Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why did she want to meet up with you?”

Ivan rubbed the bleariness out of his eyes, trying to focus on the too-fast words spilling out of Till’s mouth.

“What? You need to talk slower, Till,” Ivan muttered, sitting up and stretching. He felt a bit sluggish, his mind moving at a snail’s pace, his hand aching with dull pain. Despite how crappy he felt, he knew he was in much better shape than he had been earlier. Whatever kind of sedative the Aliens used was extremely effective.

Actually, now that he was awake, it was all beginning to come back to him. Mizi, the hallways, the Aliens, Till…oh. Right. No wonder why Till seemed to barely be able to hold eye contact. Ivan had confessed to him and kissed him. Well, he supposed it had been a long time coming…

“Just tell me what happened last night!” Till shouted, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms, his cheeks bright red.

Ivan couldn’t help but smirk at Till’s too obvious shyness, “I’ll tell you, but I want you to answer my question first.”

Till immediately froze, apparently dreading what Ivan was going to ask. Too easy, Ivan decided. He couldn’t ask him what he truly wanted to ask just yet. He threw Till a bone instead, “Did you sleep well last night? You seem a bit wired, and I can’t help but worry.”

Till slumped in relief for just a moment before rolling his eyes so hard Ivan imagined they could roll right out of their sockets.

“Real funny, prick! Now no more stalling! Tell me what happened between you and Mizi last night!”

“You certainly are very interested in Mizi, aren’t you?” Ivan teased, “If only that interest was mutual.”

“No! That’s not—” Till interrupted himself, sighing heavily, “I’m just…curious. You said last night Mizi had good news, but I have no idea what that means.”

“It was good news,” Ivan agreed, “Though only if certain…conditions are met.”

“And those conditions are…?”

Ivan wasn’t sure he wanted to tell Till. Should he give him false hope? Would he be damning them all if he told his friends not to sing the Gut ritual? He still wasn’t sure he trusted Mizi, even after all she went through to meet up with him. She could’ve been motivated enough to crawl through gross vents just to lie straight to his face if it meant protecting her loved ones, right? And after Luka had almost killed Hyunwoo for suggesting throwing the match…it was sounding less and less like a good idea.

“The conditions she spoke of aren’t exactly…well I honestly am not sure if her plan will even work,” Ivan admitted, purposefully remaining vague, “Her idea is great and all, but I’m not sure if it would be in our best interest to do as she suggested.”

Till raised his eyebrows, though he didn’t seem too surprised, “What was her plan?”

Ivan sighed. Fine, if he really wanted to know, he’d just say it. There was no beating around the bush, Till would keep asking until he got his answer. Besides, maybe talking about it with Till could help him determine whether this was all worth the risk.

“She wants us to refuse to sing for the Gut ritual.”

Till’s eyes widened, then narrowed as he digested that.

“Are the girls going to refuse too?”

“That’s what she told me, though there’s no way to know if she’s telling the truth. It could be a desperate manipulation tactic.”

“Well, it’s not a terrible idea, but yeah I see what you mean. It would be way too easy for the girls to take advantage of our silence. And besides, even if we all refuse to sing, the Aliens could just kill us all or force us to sing, couldn’t they?” Till decided.

Ivan nodded, “Except there’s more to it.”

He gestured for Till to come closer. Till hesitantly stepped forward, leaning towards Ivan as he whispered in his ear, “Mizi discovered she’s part Alien and a Hunter.”

Till whipped back, completely surprised, “What?!”

“The first part is true, she showed me the bloodwork. Along with marks on her arms. Just don’t tell anyone about that for now, it could end up being a gamechanger,” Ivan added, speaking at a normal volume, “I’m not too sure about the second part, but she thinks that if we refuse to sing, it will buy her some time to do…whatever it is she thinks she needs to do.”

Till seemed torn on whether to feel upset or hopeful at this information, apparently confused about what this meant for her and them.

Ivan shrugged off Till’s reaction or lack thereof, “Obviously it would be a huge risk for us to outright refuse to participate in the last round, so I’m not sure if it would be smart to tell the others until we’ve weighed our options, but Mizi thinks she can use her…relations…to save everyone from being sacrificed, which is the only reason I’ve even considering it.”

“I understand,” Till finally decided with a nod, “But even if we did plan on refusing to sing…what about Luka?”

Ivan’s mouth pressed into a thin line at that, “That’s another concern of mine as well. After what he did to Hyunwoo…we can’t tell him.”

Till nodded again, accepting that, “Yeah. Maybe we should ask Hyun what he thinks before we make any decisions. On one hand it’s incredibly risky, on the other if everyone can be saved…we have to try then, right?”

Ivan bobbed his head in assent, though he was already wondering if it had been a mistake to tell Till about all of this. Till was silent for a moment, debating something with himself, which only seemed to enforce Ivan’s regret. He really hoped Till wouldn’t end up doing something to endanger himself.

Then, much to Ivan’s surprise, Till grabbed Ivan’s hands, sitting on the bed next to him.

“Hey Ivan…listen, whatever ends up happening…” Till trailed off, cheeks bright red, hands shaking slightly as he seemed to realize what he was about to say, “This is stupid of me. I just…I’ve been thinking…and the kiss…I just don’t want to leave things unresolved! You’re my best friend…and…”

Ivan’s heart thundered wildly in his chest as anticipation mounted for whatever Till was going to say. He wasn’t sure if this was about to be a confession or a rejection. If it was a rejection…he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle it. The word ‘friend’ rang in his ears, panic already causing his stomach to flip.

Till blew out a breath and started over, meeting Ivan’s eyes.

“I’ve been chasing after Mizi for so long without even knowing who she truly was. And I didn’t realize all this time you…you were chasing after me. At first I felt disgusted and even scared that you had romantic feelings for me…but…I can’t really imagine myself with anyone other than you. And I feel stupid that I missed so much time where we could have been…more than friends. I’d like to try and make up for that time I missed…for however long we end up living for.”

There was a moment of silent disbelief. This couldn’t be real. Ivan could barely believe the words pouring out of Till’s mouth. Against his will, tears collected at the corners of his eyes, Till’s form becoming blurry. If this was a dream…his mind had to be the cruelest thing in the universe.

“I think I feel the same way. The kiss…I mean…I didn’t hate it. In fact, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I’m just…I’m glad I didn’t realize it too late,” Till haltingly continued, face red as a beet, no longer able to hold eye contact, “I wish we had more time. There’s so much I have to say and not much—”

Ivan suddenly launched himself at Till, holding him in a tight embrace. Till made a small grunt of surprise before hugging Ivan back, warm arms wrapped around Ivan’s shoulders.

He chuckled nervously, joking weakly in Ivan’s arms, “Sheesh, you big brute, you trying to kill me right after my confession?”

Ivan wanted to sob with joy. This was real, Till really felt this way. He could feel Till, smell him, hear him, this was real, not a dream. Tears managed to slip from his eyes as he buried his face in Till’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” Ivan whispered, closing his eyes, “I never expected to hear those words from you. You’ve always been my light, Till, you always have been and always will be. It would be the greatest pleasure to spend the rest of our time together, as more than friends.”

Ivan could feel Till swallow hard and nod, though he leaned closer into Ivan, resting his head against Ivan’s neck. They held each other in surprised silence for a while, soaking in each other’s grasp, familiarizing themselves with each other’s closeness. Till eventually began to relax, melting into Ivan in acceptance.

After a very long bout of quiet, Till finally admitted, “You’re too good of a kisser for never having done it before. It was stuck in my head so much I wasn’t able to think of anything to write for our next song.”

Ivan couldn’t help but chuckle at that, “Your priorities are astonishing. But yes, you’re right, I may have practiced a few times on a pillow.”

Ivan felt Till grin against his neck, “Of course you have, you freak.”

There was another beat of silence before Till quietly added, “We still have one more song before the Gut, you know. We’ve got to make it count, so I was trying really hard to come up with something good. But all I could think about was you. And I think we can do better than another love song.”

Ivan grinned, “Now I’m curious. What kinds of lyrics did you write while thinking of me?”

Ivan didn’t have to look to know Till was blushing profusely again.

“Nothing! Anyway, that’s not the important part!” Till exclaimed, pulling away from Ivan as he grew serious, “The important part is we have too much to lose. The next round needs to be good, whether we decide to follow Mizi or not.”

Ivan nodded, glad Till was serious about trying, “I’ll help you write it. We’ll make sure we win the round.”

The two eventually broke away, deciding to head over to Till’s house to grab his sketchbook and start brainstorming for their next round, not at all noticing that someone had been watching them from the outside of Ivan’s home.

Chapter Text

Mizi glanced over at Sua, sighing. She was still avoiding Mizi, even after all these days. The only times they had interacted at all was when the three of them were practicing for today’s round. The song they were singing today was an Alien Stage classic, a favorite among the Aliens and even some humans. It was called ‘Ruler of my Heart’, originally created to be a duet, though the girls had long since reworked it to be sung by three singers rather than two. Mizi didn’t especially care for it, but she knew the crowd would absolutely eat it up, especially since it was a more modern take of the song.

Sua purposefully avoided Mizi’s gaze entirely, which only served to make her even more nervous. Today’s competition didn’t matter much, though when the final round came, would Sua cooperate? Would she still sing the Gut, even if the rest of them didn’t? She knew Sua was upset for a lot of valid reasons, but they were running out of time! They couldn’t afford to fight about this, especially since Mizi and Hyuna hadn’t been able to find anything more about the Honmoon.

Mizi nervously shifted her weight to her uninjured leg, toes already on fire from the tight heels she wore. Whether the Aliens had left the injury as punishment or if they had decided against trying to get her to the medbay again, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that her outfit today thankfully hid the cut on her leg, though seemed to amplify whatever was wrong with her feet.

She was really hoping Shine would oblige her request in meeting at her dressing room after their song so that Mizi could ask some questions about the Honmoon. Maybe it was stupid, maybe it would only get her in trouble, but she didn’t have any better ideas. And they needed to figure something out fast. Everyone was counting on her, even the boys.

It was the girl’s turn to go first today, so Mizi stopped by her dressing room one more time to freshen up. She ensured her velvety blue gown looked pristine, sprayed her neat curls one last time, and touched up her lipstick with the few precious minutes they had left. When she was finished, she returned to the backstage area.

To her shock, both Sua and Hyuna were absent. Hyuna she could see taking extra time in her dressing room, but Sua had already been out, ready to go. Had she abandoned them? Did Sua…do something to Hyuna?

Mizi tried to shake the thought away, but before she could even begin to think about what was going on, the announcer called them to the stage. Mizi’s stomach flipped. No…there was no way. They weren’t ready! Would she have to perform herself? Though she knew she couldn’t keep the Aliens waiting too long, she rushed back to the dressing rooms, finding Hyuna’s door first. She tried to open it without knocking, having a terrible feeling something had happened to her friend. The handle didn’t budge. Was it locked?

Mizi banged on the door just as she heard the announcer call them a second time. She started to get panicked, screaming, “Hyuna?! Are you in there?”

“Mizi!” Hyuna responded from the other side of the door, filling Mizi with relief, “The door is stuck! I’ve been sitting here trying to get it open for ages! I think somebody messed with the handle, it’s not locked on my side!”

“Shit,” Mizi swore, thinking her suspicion about Sua may be right. Before she could open her mouth to reply, something grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the door.

Mizi cried out, trying to fight the assailant to get back to Hyuna’s door until she saw that it was one of the guards.

She stopped fighting and instead tried to get his attention, “Hey! Hyuna is stuck in her room! You need to get her out!”

The Alien ignored her, shoving her forward and poking her back with its gun before uttering, “Get on the stage. Now.”

With a gun now pointed to her back, Mizi was forced to walk forward towards the stage, her body stiff with stress. What in the world was going on? At least Hyuna didn’t sound hurt, but what about Sua? Where was she? Were the Aliens really going to force Mizi to sing by herself?

The Alien shoved Mizi forward and caused her to stumble onto the stage. Despite the fact that the brute messed up her hair and wrinkled her dress, despite her throbbing toes, despite the fact she was completely alone in front of all of the watching Aliens, Mizi walked to the center with confidence. She ignored the confused whispers in the crowd and took her spot as planned, eyes locked on the audience. Fine. If she was going to perform alone, then damn it all, she would do her best!

The music started, Mizi doing her best to portray as much grace and somber calm as she could muster despite feeling like her world was falling apart.

“You can turn your back to the light. You can even outburn the shining sun, my star. The perfect subject with the whole world in your sad eyes,” Mizi sang softly, trying not to think about how alone she was. This song couldn’t have been a worse choice for this moment, the lyrics made her chest feel tight knowing Sua may actively be working against them. Maybe it was a bad idea to tell her and Hyuna about what she was. Maybe it would have been better to just play the game as it was meant to be played.

“My savior, pitiful soul! I don’t believe you’re a liar,” she knew despite how well she sang, the song would not have the same appeal it would with all three of them. Hell, even the original was a duet, this was not a song for one person. She couldn’t help but feel like that was the point, that somebody was forcing her to be alone to ruin the round for them. What if an Alien had something to do with what happened? What if…it was the boys? Had it been a mistake to meet with Ivan? “When our darknesses overlap, let me take it all away!”

As Mizi began the chorus, a new voice entered the fray, a male voice. She whipped towards it, muttering the chorus as she watched the blonde saunter towards her.

“Ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart,” Luka sang behind her, gracefully approaching her wearing a glistening navy-blue suit jacket with a very long train in the back, matching her dress perfectly.

“Forever beautiful,” Mizi chimed in weakly, unable to hide the confusion on her face.

No. Did Luka…no that didn’t make any sense…did it?

“Ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart,” Luka continued, taking Mizi’s hands and twirling her around in a motion that almost seemed practiced. He had a lethal calm about him, eyes intent and focused, mouth curved in a sinister smile. Mizi’s heart sank. Had Luka tampered with the doors of their dressing rooms?

Their song transformed into the classical version with similar choreography to the original: the man leading the woman in a slow dance. Mizi switched easily, though her heart hammered against her ribs, afraid of what Luka was about to do, maybe what he had already done. This bastard…what was he up to? Had Ivan set him up to this?

The Aliens grew more confused, a rising whisper emanating from the audience as they asked one another if this was even allowed. Some seemed to be delighted, as if this were a treat, though most mirrored Mizi’s inner turmoil, becoming upset that this was not going the way it was meant to be.

“The endless walls, a fall with no ground,” Luka sang with unmatched brilliance.

Mizi swore the grip on her was getting tighter, “In a single moment, breaking down.”

“I go blind and deaf, my world collapsed,” Luka’s smile was getting more and more dangerous, “My savior! Pitiful lady! Make me your god, I can give you everything!”

“When our darknesses overlap, let me take it all away!” Both of them intoned together.

“Ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart. Ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart!”

As the soft instrumental kicked in, Luka leaned in close, almost as if for a kiss. Mizi tried to pull away, but Luka had her in his ice-cold, blue-tipped hands, his grasp strong as iron. Instead of kissing her, he leaned in close to her ear, ignoring her fight to be free. From the corner of Mizi’s eye, she saw Ivan, Till, and Hyunwoo at the side of the stage with horrified faces. From the looks of it, they didn’t seem to be on board with whatever Luka was doing. Mizi became enraged, wondered how long they had been there. Why had no one rushed to stop him if this wasn’t a part of their plan??

Luka squeezed Mizi’s wrists so tight she knew there would be a bruise, his smile turning into a ominous frown.

“You’re not going to ruin this for me, Alien Hunter,” he whispered, then did the unthinkable.

Before Mizi could react, Luka ripped off her right sleeve, then raised her now exposed right arm for everyone to see. Her arm was visibly covered in those horrible blue marks, held up in the air as Luka turned to face the crowd, a victorious smile on his face.

“Behold, a disgusting abomination! She’s a witch, a cursed human-hybrid! She’s been keeping this from you all!” Luka shouted, voice almost pious with reverie.

Mizi finally ripped her arm away from him, but it was too late. Everyone saw. Everyone knew. And that’s when chaos finally erupted.

Ivan watched as the crowd began shouting, screaming, and yelling at Mizi, the girls’ song still playing in the background, the tune now falling on deaf ears.

“GET HER OFF THE STAGE!”

“BURN THE WITCH!”

“SACRIFICE HER!”

“PULL HER OUT OF ALIEN STAGE! PULL HER OUT!”

The Alien audience became completely feral, some of the guards stationed at the base of the stage, who were meant to keep the contestants from escaping into the crowd, had to block their own kind from running onto the stage themselves. It seemed like the audience couldn’t decide whether they wanted to spare Mizi because of her Alien blood or kill her for just simply existing.

Luka began laughing hysterically at the chaotic scene, his haunting, childlike laugh echoing across the open stage. Mizi was visibly struggling between vicious anger and chilling fear, slowly backing away from Luka and the audience. Till lunged forward to try and get to Mizi, but Ivan quickly grabbed him and held him back, using all of his strength to resist Till’s fighting, his still healing hand burning with the effort to keep his love in place.

“What the fuck are you doing?! Let me go!” Till screamed, struggling under Ivan’s grasp.

“No,” Ivan scolded, “Don’t get involved. If you associate yourself with Mizi, the Aliens will go after you too.”

“Who cares?! She needs help! Ivan, stop! Put me down!” Till screamed, frantically clawing at Ivan.

Ivan tightened his grasp with no intention of releasing him. He watched as guards appeared from backstage, stalking towards Luka and Mizi, Ivan doing nothing to interfere. Hyuna and Sua appeared from backstage as well, running towards Mizi. They would have reached her if it weren’t for the Alien guard who got in their way, blocking them from getting to their pink-haired friend. To Ivan, this only reinforced the idea that Till was better off staying out of it. But Till made a desperate sound, completely frantic as he fought Ivan, as if getting involved would change something.

“Please!” Till pleaded in Ivan’s ear, “Please let me get to her!”

Ivan did not budge.

Seeing that Ivan could not be reasoned with, Till fought harder and harder against the arms holding him until Ivan heard the click of Till’s collar, signaling the end of his love’s struggle. Till immediately weakened in Ivan’s grasp, his body becoming limp and heavy. He uttered a final plea before the sedative knocked him out cold. Ivan slacked a bit in relief, though he couldn’t deny the immediate guilt that made his chest feel tight.

Hyunwoo stared at his sister like a deer in headlights, watching as the guards forced her and Sua away backstage once again. He seemed just as panicked as Till was, though his fear froze him, rendering him unable or unwilling to do anything to save his sister. Ivan tried not to think about what this development would mean for Mizi’s plan either, the small hope that had blossomed over the past week quickly smothered at the scene before him.

It wasn’t long before the show was over. Luka’s own collar activated and left him unconscious, allowing the Alien guards to easily take him away. Three other guards grabbed Mizi and took her somewhere entirely different, taking her away from the stage and through a door to the side. Ivan guessed they were going to do some more tests on her before they could decide what to do with her. With the stage emptying and the crowd as ravenous as it was, Ivan carried Till backstage, tugging on Hyun’s arm as he passed him to snap him out of his shock and get him to safety as well.

The three of them returned backstage where more Alien Guards were waiting. The guards ripped Till away from Ivan, no longer taking any chances. Collars were placed on Ivan and Hyunwoo’s necks, the tightness around Ivan’s throat practically suffocating. Was this what Till had to live with all his life? Ivan grit his teeth, trying not to panic. If all of them had this collar…they’d have to be extremely careful from now on. Ivan did not want to be sedated ever again.

The fight in them completely squashed, both Ivan and Hyun followed the Alien Guards back to the Fishbowl. Ivan blocked out the white hallways as they walked, not daring to relive the moment he could have escaped. How foolish of him to ever think they’d be able to get out of this hell without any sacrifices. He tugged at his collar, wishing he could rip it off, though he knew from experience that trying to remove Till’s that it would only result in his neck getting pricked with a needle. He had no choice but to bear it.

They finally returned to the cool air of the Fishbowl, a fake moon shining bright above them. Till was dumped unceremoniously on the ground, Luka following soon after. Once the four of them were all safely deposited inside, the guards disappeared through whatever entrance they had come from and left them to crumble under their own weight.

Without saying a word to Hyun, Ivan carefully picked Till up and began carrying him to his home. He didn’t look back, but he could hear the faint swishing sound of feet gliding through grass, getting further and further away. Ivan realized Hyunwoo had gone home and left Luka unconscious on the ground…but he didn’t care. He didn’t blame Hyun one bit. Their chance at a tie had been thoroughly ruined. Their chance at escape had been crushed right before their eyes. All because of Luka.

Ivan ignored the tight feeling of his throat as he swung Till’s front door open, bringing Till inside. Ivan gently placed him down on the bed, covering him with a blanket before sitting down beside him. He stared and stared at Till, knowing that he’d wake up absolutely furious for holding him back. But that anger was worth knowing that Till was here and safe without a target on his back. He gently kissed Till’s forehead, heart heavy with sadness.

They had spent the past week as a couple, he and Till. They had spent every moment together, though Till only let Ivan kiss and hug him behind closed doors where Luka and Hyunwoo wouldn’t see. For their round, they had planned to sing a song Till called ‘My Clematis’, a sweet, simple song that was written almost like a lullaby, a powerful message of longing and passion that they had decided would move the audience if they all sang together. They had decided to wait and tell Hyunwoo and Luka both about Mizi’s plan after the round so they could decide together about what to do with the Gut Ritual.

But all of those plans had crumpled before their very eyes. Luka had ruined it. Luka had forced Mizi’s ace too early, in fact he had used her ace against her. Ivan had no idea how Luka even knew, he and Till had been very discreet and only spoke in private about it. They had purposely kept Hyunwoo out of the loop in case Luka would catch wind of it. But somehow he knew, and now their round was ruined. Even if they did their best in the Gut Ritual and performed as they were meant to, they were set to lose against the girls. Any hope of surviving had been lost.

When Luka disappeared before the girls were about to perform, Ivan should have known he had something up his sleeve. Ivan had assumed he was using the bathroom or was taking extra time to practice their song, but instead he must’ve somehow snuck into the girl’s section despite the guards stationed there to ensure nobody escaped during the rounds.

He had no idea what Luka had done to guarantee Mizi would be alone, though he had a good guess that Luka had some kind of help from someone, maybe even his guardian. There was no way he would have been able to get past the guards on his own without being seen. Besides, it wasn’t too far of a stretch to believe, as the guardians of past Alien Stage contestants have done some wicked things to try and get their pet a leg up from the rest. It’s generally frowned upon to manipulate the rounds in any way, but that didn’t stop some from trying.

Maybe Ivan should have even stopped Luka as soon as he got onstage with Mizi, but how could he have done that? Luka would have put up a fight and they would have made an even bigger scene, which probably would have resulted in the same outcome.

Ivan let out a shaky sigh, full of bitter frustration and anguish. How cruel, how cruel. Why was the universe so cruel to him? How could it dangle such a wonderful possibility in front of his face just to snatch it away from him?

He ended up curling up beside Till in his bed, hugging the unconscious man close. He knew there would be consequences, he knew Till would never forgive him for holding him back. But for right now, Ivan soaked in Till’s warmth and drifted to sleep, blocking out the rest of the world.