Cherem - Chapter 6
Title: Cherem
Chapter: 6/?
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fantasy, AU
Characters: Taemin (SHINee), Hyunjoong (SS501), the rest of SHINee, SS501 and other cameos
Pairing(s): TBA
Warning: Rating will go up in later chapters
Summary: When Lee Taemin gets deported down from his comfortable position in the weather division to a strange division known only to most as ‘the Store’, he gets tangled up in the stuff that should stay safely in his daydreams. Three difficult house-spirits, plenty of strange, needy customers, one clumsy but strangely mysterious store-keeper, and one particularly curious customer who seems to keep coming back only when Taemin is around.
It’s all fun, but wishes are desires are dangerous things. And soon, Taemin begins to wonder if he’s biting off more than he can chew…
~*~
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~*~
It was after a hysterical Nicole had been comforted and put to bed that the argument had taken place.
“I thought you said we were safe here?!” Leeteuk hissed, barely restrained from shouting at Hyunjoong, and Taemin could tell that he only wasn’t because he didn’t want to disturb Nicole, whom Jungmin was still with in the room, making sure she was truly asleep.
“I know. I did. And I don’t know how this could have happened either.” And Taemin knew that Hyunjoong was telling the truth - it was the first time he’d heard the store-keeper so guileless and direct, when he was usually enigmatic and beat-around-the-bush.
But this didn’t seem to placate Leeteuk, and Taemin gasped when the business edge of Leeteuk’s katana was suddenly pressed against Hyunjoong’s neck. He tensed, hands inching towards his daggers despite knowing that he was probably way over his head challenging a sword-master like Leeteuk. But he was saved from making a fool of himself by a sharp look from Hyunjoong, and Taemin lowered his hands, although his stance didn’t relax at all.
“Liar.” Leeteuk was saying, anger clear in his eyes. “You not knowing something? Don’t make me laugh.”
“You seem to have the wrong impression of me.” Hyunjoong replied, and Taemin wondered how he could be so calm with death a breath away from his neck. “I know very little myself. What I do know come solely from the Store, and that information is not always comprehensive. Right now, that seems to be the case, and I can only guess what had happened for things to go wrong.”
Leeteuk’s lips thinned but the blade was eased a little bit, allowing both Hyunjoong and Taemin to breathe a little easier. “So, care to tell me your guess then?”
“The sword was by all purposes bound, and besides, even if it were not, it would not have been strong enough to act against the natural protections in the Store.” Hyunjoong ventured, and Taemin could see he had almost raised his hands to rub his chin, but had thought better of it the last minute. “So, the only possible reason I can fathom is that there is an external factor contributing to the power of the sword.”
Leeteuk stiffened, his expression becoming hard. “What are you saying? That someone had been possessed by the sword.”
“Yes, quite possibly. It’s the only thing I can think of for the reason of such a thing happening.” Hyunjoong answered calmly, before his eyes sharpened and turned onto Leeteuk. “Hmm… Leeteuk-sshi, you’re acting quite out-of-character aren’t you? You usually aren’t so easily riled, even after someone is killed.”
It took a while for the implication to sink in. And Taemin grasped in one moment before Leeteuk did, his jaw dropping open at Hyunjoong’s apparent suicidal tendencies. And the minute Leeteuk understood, the blade was back against Hyunjoong’s neck, the edge so sharp, it opened a thin cut just with a quiver of Leeteuk’s hands. “Are you insinuating that I was the one who killed Hara?!”
Taemin had to check that his jaw hadn’t unhinged on its own and fell to the ground at what Hyunjoong said next. “Well, technically, it’s you possessed by the sword. But yes, I am.”
“How dare yo-”
“Hyung! Hyunjoong! What the hell is going on here?”
Taemin almost let out a sigh of relief when Jungmin came out of Nicole’s room, and upon taking in the situation, quickly grabbed Leeteuk’s arm, trying to pull the man away from Hyunjoong.
The next scene happened so quickly, Taemin almost didn’t realize until it was over. But it seemed that Leeteuk hadn’t taken too well on being interrupted, and had turned on his comrade. Luckily, as annoying as Jungmin was, he was just as good a swordsman. And there was a slither and clang of metal as Jungmin disarmed Leeteuk in the matter of three strokes.
“Hyung!” Jungmin frowned, worry etched onto his face as he sheathed his sword, moving over to Leeteuk’s side, the elder clutching onto his arm in what seemed like pain. “Are you alright?”
But Leeteuk pushed Jungmin away, taking a deep breath in an attempt to control his… anger? Taemin wasn’t really sure. But as it was, Leeteuk murmured something too low for Taemin to catch, picking up his katana from where it had fallen, and disappeared round the corridor, into his room, before anyone could stop him.
Taemin turned to Jungmin for some explanation on what the heck just happened, but all he received was an indescribable look before the red-haired man turned around to face Hyunjoong. “What the devil did you do, Hyunjoong?”
“Tell Leeteuk that I suspect him of murder.” Hyunjoong replied promptly, making Taemin want to smack him.
Jungmin must have had the same thought, because he now wore a sarcastic look that Taemin hadn’t thought the man capable of before this. “Wow, gee. I know that I’m well-known to be insensitive and a bit lacking in emotional intelligence, but really. That was so not both a very idiotic and very rude thing to say to someone who’s just lost someone who’s like a daughter to him.”
“Everyone in your group is like a daughter or son to him.” Hyunjoong sighed, which Taemin thought was kind of missing the point. “Even you.”
“Missing the point, Hyunjoong.” Jungmin put his arms akimbo, which looked a little odd considering that he was still fully dressed in his armor. “But if you do want to talk about that, then you’d be hitting the reason why Leeteuk’s so uptight.”
“Oh?”
“We’ve been losing a lot our young ones recently.” Jungmin explained. “They’ve been dropping like flies. Most of them getting slain on missions, but there were some very unlucky accidents. A few even a little baffling.”
“Oh?” Hyunjoong blinked, folding his arms. “Tell me.”
“Well, like, there was this guy who just joined recently… uh… Dongho, I think? Very promising guy - even I was impressed when he managed to handle two banshees on his own. But anyway, we found him in a lake where we were camping out five days ago - drowned. But he was fully clothed, and we can’t think why he would have gone into the lake otherwise… and he was a good swimmer too…”
“Hmm… curious.” Hyunjoong rubbed his chin, and Jungmin nodded.
“Yeah, anyway, it has Leeteuk all stressed up.” Jungmin sighed, moving to Hyunjoong’s side and clasping his hand onto the store-keeper’s shoulder. “Don’t give him a hard time, alright?”
Most would have seen the threat in the tight hand - Taemin certainly did. But Hyunjoong only chuckled, patting the said hand. “Yeah, yeah. Alright.”
“Mmm.” Jungmin nodded, and something was exchanged between them that Taemin didn’t quite understand. But then, the moment was over, and Jungmin announced he was going to catch some sleep with a wave both to Hyunjoong and Taemin.
Taemin had kept quiet all this while, but as the door to Jungmin’s room closed shut with a soft click, Taemin turned to Hyunjoong with a blatantly straight look on his face. “You know exactly what’s going on, don’t you?”
“What?” Hyunjoong turned around, mild-mannered bafflement fixed firmly onto his expression.
But Taemin had been around Hyunjoong long enough to know what was genuine confusion and what was not. “You do,” Taemin insisted. “Why don’t you spare everyone the trouble and just deal with the problem, instead of accusing people blindly?”
Hyunjoong eyed Taemin steadily, as if considering if he could continue to push his act of not knowing. But the firm look in Taemin’s eyes had him reconsidering.
A small smile slid across his face, and he released a sigh that sounded to Taemin like a sigh of resignation - but to what he was resigned to, Taemin wasn’t sure. “Yes, I do know. But I have no proof as of yet. And besides…” Hyunjoong leaned over and tapped Taemin’s lips. “…some things have yet to play out. I can’t just interfere as of yet.”
Taemin sighed, moving away from the finger in annoyance. And he was irritated enough to forget good graces to say so - straight to Hyunjoong’s face. “Christ, you’re so annoying sometimes…”
“And you sound just like a loving wife.” Hyunjoong chirped, and Taemin raised his eyebrow incredulously, the basis for comparison lost on him. “Anyway, I suggest that you get some sleep. Tomorrow will be quite a tiring day.”
“Oh.” Taemin paused in his step, turning around to see Hyunjoong gesturing at his waist where the daggers were kept. “You might want to sleep with those on. Don’t know who the assailant might attack next.”
And when Taemin went back to his room, he heeded Hyunjoong’s words and slept with his dagger under his pillow, one hand carefully positioned there. Hyunjoong might be annoying, but his advice, when given, was best not to be ignored.
~*~
But it seemed that the assailant had been done for that night. And after a few hours of tensed sleeplessness, Taemin finally gave into the exhaustion of what had been a very tiring day. It didn’t prevent him from waking up like a shot when the first rays of sunlight hit his face - something different from his usual waking habits, and he suddenly found himself with two hours of nothing to do after he’d taken a long bath and had leisurely changed into his clothes.
He was in the kitchen when Leeteuk walked in. With two hours to spare, and guests in the house, it was a no-brainer what Taemin could do. And he had just been deciding on sunny-side up or scrambled when he heard the door slide open and they both paused in a very uncomfortable moment of silence.
“Uh…” Taemin finally said after a long length of time. “I’m cooking breakfast… so… sunny-side up or scrambled?”
Leeteuk seemed to relax after that - enough to even give Taemin a small smile as he moved over to the fridge. “Scrambled for Nicole, sunny-side up for Jungmin. None for me, thank you… although you better make four for Jungmin if you have the eggs to spare. Or he’ll steal the food off Hyunjoong’s plate, and Hyunjoong, as you can imagine, won’t be very thrilled when that happens.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I do have eggs to spare then.” Taemin joked, earning a chuckle from Leeteuk as began to roll up his sleeves, apparently deciding that he was helping Taemin prepare breakfast.
“How long have you known Hyunjoong-sshi?” Taemin asked after he had done the sunny-side ups and was moving onto the scrambled for Nicole.
“Not very long.” Leeteuk answered, pausing for a while to wrestle with the cap of a bottle of orange juice, and grunting in triumph when it gave. “Maybe a year after he became store-keeper? And we don’t visit that much for me to get to know him that well… Jungmin’s the one who really knows him.”
“Oh?” Taemin asked while cracking the eggs over the pan.
“Mhmm…” Leeteuk put the bottle down and began to look for some cups. “They were from the same world you know. Jungmin came to me not long after Hyunjoong became store-keeper. They were friends before, I think. I don’t really know. It’s not in my nature to pry unless it’s something really important. …Can I use these cups?”
Taemin looked up and nodded. “Yeah. Sure… You seem to know Hyunjoong well enough though.”
“Only on a professional level.” Leeteuk smiled, “We have a healthy respect for each other. He’s the first store-keeper I’ve come to trust ever since…”
“Ever since?” Taemin repeated after a pregnant pause. And Leeteuk blinked, as if coming out from a daze.
“No. It’s nothing.” A shake of the head, and Taemin paused, insanely curious, but knowing better than to pry further. “Anyway, I want to apologize about my behaviour last night. Hyunjoong wasn’t very polite either, but I guess I did give him proper cause for his accusation. I am, like he says, not usually prone to giving into anger so easily.”
“It’s fine.” Taemin reassured him, alarmed at having the elder apologize to him. “Jungmin told us about… yeah… that.”
“Ah.” Leeteuk shook his head wryly. “Figures. Well, that has been getting to me… bu-”
The rest of what Leeteuk was going to say was lost when the kitchen door swung open, and a cheerful Jonghyun flounced into the room. “Hey! We’re back! Wow, Taemin, are you cooking?”
Taemin had been about to greet him, and Onew, who came in, smiling genially behind him, when he saw their expressions change at the sight of the other person in the room with him. Confused, Taemin turned to Leeteuk, who seemed to equally confused, and then, he watched as that confused expression turned frozen as a third person entered the room.
“Is Taemin cooking? Bah, I hope you aren’t messing up my kitchen, because if you are-”
Taemin swung around to see Key standing stock-still, his facial expression unreadable as his eyes fell onto Leeteuk. But, wait - hadn’t Hyunjoong said Key wouldn’t be back for at least another day? Now entirely having lost sense of the situation, Taemin looked around for anyone to clarify things for him. But everyone seemed to be frozen in the tension that was thick in the room - and Taemin could deduce nothing except that Key wasn’t exactly thrilled to see Leeteuk here.
Finally, the silence was broken as Leeteuk took a step forward, reaching out to Key. “Kibum…”
“Don’t.” Key hissed, his eyes narrowing with such warning, Taemin took an involuntary step back. “Don’t call me that.”
Then before anyone could say anything else, Key turned on his heel, rushing out of the room with anger-filled steps. Taemin was still reeling with bewilderment even as Onew rushed out after Key, and Leeteuk slumped down onto a chair, covering his face with his hands.
Jonghyun sighed, rubbing his face, his jovial expression now entirely gone. “Boy… Hyunjoong did it again, didn’t he?”
Before Taemin could ask Jonghyun what he meant, Taemin caught a glimpse of something shining out of the corner of his eyes. The glint of glass and gold. A pince-nez. Hyunjoong.
He had disappeared once Taemin whirled around. But Taemin had caught sight of his expression before he’d moved off from the window he was looking through.
It wasn’t the expression of someone who had done something wrong. On the contrary, it was the expression of someone entirely pleased with himself.
As if Hyunjoong was glad that he’d sown the seeds of discord in the middle of an already testy situation.
~*~
Everyone refused to tell Taemin anything. Leeteuk, having gone pale white, had excused himself to his room. And Jonghyun had gone all strange again - his manner serious and unbefitting of a trickster like him.
“You should just mind your own business, Taemin.” Jonghyun had said sharply at Taemin’s attempt to find out what the heck was going on. He must have flinched, because Jonghyun’s expression softened just a bit. “I know it’s a bit harsh, but in a place like this, it’s only meant to protect you. You’re too young and naïve for a place like this, Lee Taemin.”
He hadn’t understood what Jonghyun had meant, and it seemed he never would. Left alone in the kitchen with a pile of rapidly drying scrambled eggs, he sighed at the discarded breakfast and decided to make the best of it. Gathering what he could and adding on what wasn’t there, Taemin prepared two trays of breakfast - one for Nicole and one for Jungmin, since it was most likely the rest wouldn’t be in the mood for food anytime soon.
Jungmin hadn’t been in his room, so Taemin left the tray along with a note. He wondered where Jungmin could have gone - most likely he’d heard the commotion and was now consoling Leeteuk on whatever had happened. If that were so, then Taemin was most likely going to have to look for the Tupperware - which he supposed was good, since Key didn’t seem likely to be cooking for the period Leeteuk and his gang stayed.
He was deep in his musings as he knocked on Nicole’s door, and he didn’t think it too odd when she didn’t answer. Probably still asleep. So, cautiously, he opened the door and peered around, in case she was to be bathing (and if that were so, Taemin would have been branded a pervert for life), but what he saw instead was Nicole, lying inert on the ground.
At first, his blood had turned cold, thinking Nicole and he rushed in, placing the tray sloppily onto the nearest flat surface, juice spilling over, plates clattering. But upon closer inspection, he realized she was still breathing as he hoisted her into his arms, and she stirred when he gently placed her down back into the bed.
“Y-you… no, don’t bother about me.” She groaned, weakly pushing him away. “He’s getting away.”
“He?” Taemin frowned, turning towards the open window where Nicole was pointing.
“Hara’s attacker!” Nicole hissed, having overexerted herself, and Taemin realized, in horror, that the ruby liquid spilling from her arm was blood.
“No! It is but a small wound I can take care of myself. If you want to help, don’t let him get away!” Nicole pushed Taemin’s flailing hands and murmurs of getting help. “Go! You can still catch him!”
Since it seemed the only way to calm Nicole down, Taemin nodded, moving off to the window and jumping to the ground. There, he saw the shadow of a figure just slipping off into the shadows, and growling, he stealthily gave chase, knowing he would be more likely to catch the assailant if he had the advantage of surprise.
Weeks of exploring was beginning to pay off. And Taemin grinned when the attacker, obviously unused to the layout of the house, began to walk deeper and deeper into his depths. Taemin on the other hand, easily stalked him, knowing every crook and cranny to hide in, easily escaping the attacker’s attention even when they were in the same room.
He waited for a chance, and it prevented itself soon enough - at the blue room with the porcelain figures portraying sadness, where there were two doors which would lead to the same big room with the mannequins. And when the assailant went through one door, he went through the other, slinking amongst the shadows, and expecting an opportunity to pounce.
But he was no granted with one, for although there were most of the factors present there for Taemin to make his move, he was missing something absolutely vital - someone to pounce on.
Eyes widening, Taemin ran into the middle of the room in a panic, his eyes darting everywhere, his mind shouting that this could not be in any way possible. But it was, and Taemin found himself, without knowing how, alone in the room with nothing but mannequins.
“Damnit!” Taemin cursed, venting his frustration on a hapless mannequin. It toppled over with a thud, and Taemin had been about to kick it before he thought better of it. Sighing, he bent over to replace it again, all the while cursing the impossibility of it all. He was so sure he’d gotten the guy. So sure, in his musings, he hadn’t heard the quiet footsteps behind him, nor the slither of metal being pulled from its sheath. It was only the dull reflection in the mannequin’s plastic surface, that Taemin caught the distortion of movement, and turned around just in time to see a blued blade flashing down upon him.
He raised his daggers, managing to catch the blade in a cross formation before it made quick work of his chest. But the fact that he’d managed to block the blow didn’t faze the attacker as it usually did most, and he never even had the chance to forge a quick attack by slipping one of his daggers out and stabbing the assailant while he was disoriented. It was one stroke, and the daggers flew out of his hands, another that had him dodging frantically and retreating straight into a wall.
A trick of the light prevented Taemin from seeing his attacker’s face, but the sword now raised in the third and final strike against him was definitely the cursed sword Leeteuk had brought into Hyunjoong’s care. The sword that had murdered Go Hara, and now, Taemin hazarded with what might as well be his final thoughts, him as well.
The blade paused, almost in a dramatic moment. And the world seemed to slow for Taemin, life flashing before his eyes - things he did, thing he never did, and now would never do. He might have laughed at how cliché it all was, and because it seemed a good way to go. But his voice was stuck in his throat, so all that came up was a strange sort of gurgle, eyes wide as he watched the instrument of his would-be death bear down upon him.
He hadn’t known he’d closed his eyes until he opened them again. And it took a few moments for his brain to work again and process the fact that he wasn’t dead yet, and that the one who had prevented it was engaging his attacker in battle with nothing but a makeshift weapon that looked like the hastily ripped of arm of a mannequin.
He snapped out of it long enough to let out a cry of warning, seeing the flash of a second sword. And without thinking, he let loose of one of the dagger clutched in his hands, despite having the street knowledge that it was foolish to throw a dagger like the heroes did in fairy tales.
Either he got lucky or he had better aim that he’d though (most likely the former), but the dagger flew true and embedded itself into the assailant’s arm. With an unearthly roar, the attacker let go of the cursed blade in order to clutch at his arm, sneak attack now thwarted.
He didn’t really know what happened next, everything blurs of colour and movement. He thought he saw the attacker making a tactical retreat, and his saviour chasing after. Things went black after a while, until there was a flash of a different sort of black, and someone calling his name. “Taemin? Taemin?”
But Taemin wouldn’t answer. The shock had taken its toll, and into unconsciousness he fell.
~*~
The way light fell into his eyes was somewhat familiar, yet foreign at the same time. And he woke up with a start, hand pressed to his head, regretting it as the headache assaulted him from sleeping at an hour he usually did not sleep in.
“Great, you’re awake. Now you can tell me what the fuck you thought you were doing chasing after a Possessed on your own.”
Taemin, quick to learn from these sort of mistakes, turned slowly to see Key leaning against the ledge of his window, arms folded, looking as sour as the first day Taemin’d met him. Except, Taemin could see the difference between then and now - as odd as it was, there was some sort of motherly concern in Key’s eyes. And the grudging tone was but Key’s only way of showing his care - like he did when he cooked for the whole lot of them, and when he whacked Taemin over the head for mindlessly pick up an artifact in order to better reach a spot he’d missed.
“Key…”
“If you’re going to make excuses for your appalling behaviour, then don’t bother. You and I both know, although maybe for you, it’s in retrospect, that your actions were just plain stupidity. Or maybe you still don’t know, so I have to spell it out for you. You were S-T-U-P-I-D. Get it? S-T-U-P-I-D.”
Key was always more scathing when he was worried, Taemin mused, but it didn’t stop him from interrupting at the first breath Key took, in between what was probably another string of insults at his mental capabilities.
“Key.”
“What?”
“Thanks. I mean, for saving me. I know what I did was dumb. So… sorry.”
The way Key’s mouth opened in utter surprise, before stuttering shut was priceless and worth Taemin’s mirth, if he hadn’t actually been sincere with his words. And they sat in a mixture of astonished and heartfelt silence, until Key finally broke it.
“R-right.” Key seemed to decide that the safest course of action now was to continue on as if nothing had happened. “So tell me again why you were chasing after a Possessed on your own.”
“Possessed?”
“Ah. Sorry. It’s a term used by us exo-” Key paused realizing his slip.
“Us exorcists?” Taemin completed, phrasing it as a question when it wasn’t really. And Key ignored him, as Taemin guessed he would.
“It just means someone who has been possessed by a spirit, malevolent or otherwise, in this case-”
“The cursed blade that’s sitting on my table?”
Key gave Taemin a glare that could have frozen hell over. “Can you stop completing my sentences?”
“Sorry.” Taemin made the motion of zipping his lips, only because he knew he would know no more of the matter if Key got irritated at him, throwing something at him before stomping out of the room in a huff.
“Anyway,” Key settled back down, folding his arms again. “They’re extremely dangerous because a Possessed usually has no sense of morals, controlled entirely by the need that has been exaggerated by the spirit he or she has been possessed by. Even seasoned exorcists know better than to go after one alone.”
“Well… I didn’t know it was a Possessed I was chasing after.” Taemin began before seeing it as a mistake, since Key was beginning to open his mouth, no doubt to chide Taemin that ignorance was no excuse for stupidity. “And I wasn’t thinking straight. I’d just found Nicole after she was attacked by him… her… it? Anyway, I found Nicole on the floor, and she was frantic, telling me to go after him or else he’d get away. And I guess I was too caught up in the moment to consider calling someone else for back-up.”
Key’s question thereafter wasn’t what Taemin expected. “Wait… Nicole is here too?”
“…Yeah.” Taemin nodded, after a moment of bemusement.
“That’s odd…” Key seemed distracted after hearing that piece of information. “How come I didn’t sense her at all…?”
“Key?”
Taemin’s call of his name seemed to break him out of his thoughts. And shaking his head as if shaking cobwebs from his mind, he stood up. “Get some more rest. You had quite the shock. I’m going to report to Hyunjoong.”
“Key. Wait.” Taemin hesitated once the human paused in the doorway. “I… Key, will you tell me what’s going on between you and Leeteuk’s group? I can guess that you knew him from last time, and from what I’ve heard, you were most probably part of Leeteuk’s group. But other than that…” Jonghyun had told him not to pry, but he thought, after all he’d gone through, he deserved to at least try. But he promised to himself that if Key walked away now, ignoring his question, he wouldn’t pursue the matter any further.
But Key didn’t ignore him. Only looking at him with a steady look which Taemin returned with confidence he didn’t really have. Finally, the human sighed, moving back to the ledge and leaning against it, as if a signal for Taemin to lean back as well.
“It’s an unsatisfactory story.” Key began, his lips thin and his voice just as much. “And you probably will be disappointed.”
“Tell me anyway.” Taemin bid, and with a sigh, Key did.
~*~
“I joined Leeteuk’s bunch even before my brain developed the functions of a memory. Leeteuk told me he picked me up as a baby among the ruins of a village wrecked by demons. He never knew who my parents were, and as far as I’m concerned, he and Kangin - Leeteuk’s partner, were mine. And the rest of the gang, my siblings.”
“I held a knife in my hand since I was two, and learnt my first incantation at six. At thirteen, I defeated, although now I admit it, in luck, a Tengu all on my own. I was on the top of the world - I thought I was the best exorcist of all times. And for a while, the gang treated me like I was. Leeteuk was proud, of course. Kangin just as, although he showed it more. The older kids respected me, and the younger ones treated me like a hero.”
“But time passed, and then Leeteuk recruited someone new after a long while - a guy named Eli. He was had a good number of kills under his belt, but more than that, he was charismatic. And within a span of a few weeks, he had everyone under his charm. Everyone except me. I thought - what was the big deal? We all had about the same sort of accomplishments as him. It was simple as to why I didn’t feel the same way as everyone else - I was jealous.”
“At first it wasn’t so bad. But then, he saved two of the younger ones, who got in over their heads entering a Kappa swamp.”
“His… for a lack of a better word, popularity, exploded. And suddenly, I, the star child, was pushed out of the limelight. For the first time, there was someone else the gang held in reverence. And I hated Eli for that - for the way he’d snatched my cushy spot away from me. For taking the place that was, I thought, rightfully mine.”
“I was 19 when I found this place. This Store. By then, the jealousy had turned into uglier hate. And I came here with the agenda of murder - my wish was that Eli Kim dead a horrible, painful death.”
“The store-keeper then, a Lee Sooman, wasn’t as kind or scrupulous as Hyunjoong is. He granted my wish, getting me to sign a contract he made. And in my haste, I didn’t read it through.”
“I got my wish. Eli died - in a most gruesome manner that I won’t bother to describe. And I had to pay the price… and more.”
“The store required me to remain human forever - and now after years have passed, I realize it is the giving up of my true wish. That I remain mediocre and weak, never being the strongest and kept away from that limelight I once so desperately sought. But the contract I signed with Lee Sooman stated more than that. I was an indentured servant of the store… until he released me.”
“Leeteuk was furious, and he tried to get me out of it. But I was… to put it plainly, an idiot. All my fear at only just realizing what I had done turned into hatred, which I unjustly directed at him. I shouted at him, yelled at him that it was his fault that I had gotten into this mess. That if he had paid more attention to me, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. There were more hurtful words said, but essentially, I told him I never wanted to see him again, and until today, he has kept my wish.”
“Lee Sooman never did release me from my bond. He died before he could. I think the Store got rid of him - because it is its nature to be hard upon those who do not abide by its rules. New store-keepers came, and some I told of my situation, but it seems that only Lee Sooman can release me from this indenture, and now he never will.”
~*~
Everything seemed to fall silent after Key finished his tale. His words were much more than Taemin had bargained to learn, and so much was now explained with the light Key had cast upon those things once unexplained. But in return, there was a shadow in Key’s face now, a shadow which Taemin, in empathy, wanted to lift.
But it would have taken the very brave, or very foolish to break that silence. And after the words, “Why don’t you just apologize, it’s been a long time. I’m sure Leeteuk has forgiven you by now.”, Taemin thought maybe he was more of the latter.
Key’s smile was hollow. “That may be so. But the problem is, I have yet to forgive myself.”
There was nothing one could say to that. And Taemin, for once, followed the status quo.
Key seemed to appreciate Taemin’s effort, and it drew out a wry sigh. “Get some sleep. I need to report to Hyunjoong.” But long after Key had left, and the shadows had lengthened inside the room, Taemin had yet to get his supposed sleep, staring at the door where the memory of Key’s sadness still drifted upon.
“All things have their time.”
It was said by someone and something. And Taemin had the hazy recollection of brown hair, musk and the press of a warm body against his. But like magic, a deep sleep he fell into, and nothing more was said.
~*~
[ Chapter 7]
Chapter: 6/?
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fantasy, AU
Characters: Taemin (SHINee), Hyunjoong (SS501), the rest of SHINee, SS501 and other cameos
Pairing(s): TBA
Warning: Rating will go up in later chapters
Summary: When Lee Taemin gets deported down from his comfortable position in the weather division to a strange division known only to most as ‘the Store’, he gets tangled up in the stuff that should stay safely in his daydreams. Three difficult house-spirits, plenty of strange, needy customers, one clumsy but strangely mysterious store-keeper, and one particularly curious customer who seems to keep coming back only when Taemin is around.
It’s all fun, but wishes are desires are dangerous things. And soon, Taemin begins to wonder if he’s biting off more than he can chew…
~*~
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~*~
It was after a hysterical Nicole had been comforted and put to bed that the argument had taken place.
“I thought you said we were safe here?!” Leeteuk hissed, barely restrained from shouting at Hyunjoong, and Taemin could tell that he only wasn’t because he didn’t want to disturb Nicole, whom Jungmin was still with in the room, making sure she was truly asleep.
“I know. I did. And I don’t know how this could have happened either.” And Taemin knew that Hyunjoong was telling the truth - it was the first time he’d heard the store-keeper so guileless and direct, when he was usually enigmatic and beat-around-the-bush.
But this didn’t seem to placate Leeteuk, and Taemin gasped when the business edge of Leeteuk’s katana was suddenly pressed against Hyunjoong’s neck. He tensed, hands inching towards his daggers despite knowing that he was probably way over his head challenging a sword-master like Leeteuk. But he was saved from making a fool of himself by a sharp look from Hyunjoong, and Taemin lowered his hands, although his stance didn’t relax at all.
“Liar.” Leeteuk was saying, anger clear in his eyes. “You not knowing something? Don’t make me laugh.”
“You seem to have the wrong impression of me.” Hyunjoong replied, and Taemin wondered how he could be so calm with death a breath away from his neck. “I know very little myself. What I do know come solely from the Store, and that information is not always comprehensive. Right now, that seems to be the case, and I can only guess what had happened for things to go wrong.”
Leeteuk’s lips thinned but the blade was eased a little bit, allowing both Hyunjoong and Taemin to breathe a little easier. “So, care to tell me your guess then?”
“The sword was by all purposes bound, and besides, even if it were not, it would not have been strong enough to act against the natural protections in the Store.” Hyunjoong ventured, and Taemin could see he had almost raised his hands to rub his chin, but had thought better of it the last minute. “So, the only possible reason I can fathom is that there is an external factor contributing to the power of the sword.”
Leeteuk stiffened, his expression becoming hard. “What are you saying? That someone had been possessed by the sword.”
“Yes, quite possibly. It’s the only thing I can think of for the reason of such a thing happening.” Hyunjoong answered calmly, before his eyes sharpened and turned onto Leeteuk. “Hmm… Leeteuk-sshi, you’re acting quite out-of-character aren’t you? You usually aren’t so easily riled, even after someone is killed.”
It took a while for the implication to sink in. And Taemin grasped in one moment before Leeteuk did, his jaw dropping open at Hyunjoong’s apparent suicidal tendencies. And the minute Leeteuk understood, the blade was back against Hyunjoong’s neck, the edge so sharp, it opened a thin cut just with a quiver of Leeteuk’s hands. “Are you insinuating that I was the one who killed Hara?!”
Taemin had to check that his jaw hadn’t unhinged on its own and fell to the ground at what Hyunjoong said next. “Well, technically, it’s you possessed by the sword. But yes, I am.”
“How dare yo-”
“Hyung! Hyunjoong! What the hell is going on here?”
Taemin almost let out a sigh of relief when Jungmin came out of Nicole’s room, and upon taking in the situation, quickly grabbed Leeteuk’s arm, trying to pull the man away from Hyunjoong.
The next scene happened so quickly, Taemin almost didn’t realize until it was over. But it seemed that Leeteuk hadn’t taken too well on being interrupted, and had turned on his comrade. Luckily, as annoying as Jungmin was, he was just as good a swordsman. And there was a slither and clang of metal as Jungmin disarmed Leeteuk in the matter of three strokes.
“Hyung!” Jungmin frowned, worry etched onto his face as he sheathed his sword, moving over to Leeteuk’s side, the elder clutching onto his arm in what seemed like pain. “Are you alright?”
But Leeteuk pushed Jungmin away, taking a deep breath in an attempt to control his… anger? Taemin wasn’t really sure. But as it was, Leeteuk murmured something too low for Taemin to catch, picking up his katana from where it had fallen, and disappeared round the corridor, into his room, before anyone could stop him.
Taemin turned to Jungmin for some explanation on what the heck just happened, but all he received was an indescribable look before the red-haired man turned around to face Hyunjoong. “What the devil did you do, Hyunjoong?”
“Tell Leeteuk that I suspect him of murder.” Hyunjoong replied promptly, making Taemin want to smack him.
Jungmin must have had the same thought, because he now wore a sarcastic look that Taemin hadn’t thought the man capable of before this. “Wow, gee. I know that I’m well-known to be insensitive and a bit lacking in emotional intelligence, but really. That was so not both a very idiotic and very rude thing to say to someone who’s just lost someone who’s like a daughter to him.”
“Everyone in your group is like a daughter or son to him.” Hyunjoong sighed, which Taemin thought was kind of missing the point. “Even you.”
“Missing the point, Hyunjoong.” Jungmin put his arms akimbo, which looked a little odd considering that he was still fully dressed in his armor. “But if you do want to talk about that, then you’d be hitting the reason why Leeteuk’s so uptight.”
“Oh?”
“We’ve been losing a lot our young ones recently.” Jungmin explained. “They’ve been dropping like flies. Most of them getting slain on missions, but there were some very unlucky accidents. A few even a little baffling.”
“Oh?” Hyunjoong blinked, folding his arms. “Tell me.”
“Well, like, there was this guy who just joined recently… uh… Dongho, I think? Very promising guy - even I was impressed when he managed to handle two banshees on his own. But anyway, we found him in a lake where we were camping out five days ago - drowned. But he was fully clothed, and we can’t think why he would have gone into the lake otherwise… and he was a good swimmer too…”
“Hmm… curious.” Hyunjoong rubbed his chin, and Jungmin nodded.
“Yeah, anyway, it has Leeteuk all stressed up.” Jungmin sighed, moving to Hyunjoong’s side and clasping his hand onto the store-keeper’s shoulder. “Don’t give him a hard time, alright?”
Most would have seen the threat in the tight hand - Taemin certainly did. But Hyunjoong only chuckled, patting the said hand. “Yeah, yeah. Alright.”
“Mmm.” Jungmin nodded, and something was exchanged between them that Taemin didn’t quite understand. But then, the moment was over, and Jungmin announced he was going to catch some sleep with a wave both to Hyunjoong and Taemin.
Taemin had kept quiet all this while, but as the door to Jungmin’s room closed shut with a soft click, Taemin turned to Hyunjoong with a blatantly straight look on his face. “You know exactly what’s going on, don’t you?”
“What?” Hyunjoong turned around, mild-mannered bafflement fixed firmly onto his expression.
But Taemin had been around Hyunjoong long enough to know what was genuine confusion and what was not. “You do,” Taemin insisted. “Why don’t you spare everyone the trouble and just deal with the problem, instead of accusing people blindly?”
Hyunjoong eyed Taemin steadily, as if considering if he could continue to push his act of not knowing. But the firm look in Taemin’s eyes had him reconsidering.
A small smile slid across his face, and he released a sigh that sounded to Taemin like a sigh of resignation - but to what he was resigned to, Taemin wasn’t sure. “Yes, I do know. But I have no proof as of yet. And besides…” Hyunjoong leaned over and tapped Taemin’s lips. “…some things have yet to play out. I can’t just interfere as of yet.”
Taemin sighed, moving away from the finger in annoyance. And he was irritated enough to forget good graces to say so - straight to Hyunjoong’s face. “Christ, you’re so annoying sometimes…”
“And you sound just like a loving wife.” Hyunjoong chirped, and Taemin raised his eyebrow incredulously, the basis for comparison lost on him. “Anyway, I suggest that you get some sleep. Tomorrow will be quite a tiring day.”
“Oh.” Taemin paused in his step, turning around to see Hyunjoong gesturing at his waist where the daggers were kept. “You might want to sleep with those on. Don’t know who the assailant might attack next.”
And when Taemin went back to his room, he heeded Hyunjoong’s words and slept with his dagger under his pillow, one hand carefully positioned there. Hyunjoong might be annoying, but his advice, when given, was best not to be ignored.
~*~
But it seemed that the assailant had been done for that night. And after a few hours of tensed sleeplessness, Taemin finally gave into the exhaustion of what had been a very tiring day. It didn’t prevent him from waking up like a shot when the first rays of sunlight hit his face - something different from his usual waking habits, and he suddenly found himself with two hours of nothing to do after he’d taken a long bath and had leisurely changed into his clothes.
He was in the kitchen when Leeteuk walked in. With two hours to spare, and guests in the house, it was a no-brainer what Taemin could do. And he had just been deciding on sunny-side up or scrambled when he heard the door slide open and they both paused in a very uncomfortable moment of silence.
“Uh…” Taemin finally said after a long length of time. “I’m cooking breakfast… so… sunny-side up or scrambled?”
Leeteuk seemed to relax after that - enough to even give Taemin a small smile as he moved over to the fridge. “Scrambled for Nicole, sunny-side up for Jungmin. None for me, thank you… although you better make four for Jungmin if you have the eggs to spare. Or he’ll steal the food off Hyunjoong’s plate, and Hyunjoong, as you can imagine, won’t be very thrilled when that happens.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I do have eggs to spare then.” Taemin joked, earning a chuckle from Leeteuk as began to roll up his sleeves, apparently deciding that he was helping Taemin prepare breakfast.
“How long have you known Hyunjoong-sshi?” Taemin asked after he had done the sunny-side ups and was moving onto the scrambled for Nicole.
“Not very long.” Leeteuk answered, pausing for a while to wrestle with the cap of a bottle of orange juice, and grunting in triumph when it gave. “Maybe a year after he became store-keeper? And we don’t visit that much for me to get to know him that well… Jungmin’s the one who really knows him.”
“Oh?” Taemin asked while cracking the eggs over the pan.
“Mhmm…” Leeteuk put the bottle down and began to look for some cups. “They were from the same world you know. Jungmin came to me not long after Hyunjoong became store-keeper. They were friends before, I think. I don’t really know. It’s not in my nature to pry unless it’s something really important. …Can I use these cups?”
Taemin looked up and nodded. “Yeah. Sure… You seem to know Hyunjoong well enough though.”
“Only on a professional level.” Leeteuk smiled, “We have a healthy respect for each other. He’s the first store-keeper I’ve come to trust ever since…”
“Ever since?” Taemin repeated after a pregnant pause. And Leeteuk blinked, as if coming out from a daze.
“No. It’s nothing.” A shake of the head, and Taemin paused, insanely curious, but knowing better than to pry further. “Anyway, I want to apologize about my behaviour last night. Hyunjoong wasn’t very polite either, but I guess I did give him proper cause for his accusation. I am, like he says, not usually prone to giving into anger so easily.”
“It’s fine.” Taemin reassured him, alarmed at having the elder apologize to him. “Jungmin told us about… yeah… that.”
“Ah.” Leeteuk shook his head wryly. “Figures. Well, that has been getting to me… bu-”
The rest of what Leeteuk was going to say was lost when the kitchen door swung open, and a cheerful Jonghyun flounced into the room. “Hey! We’re back! Wow, Taemin, are you cooking?”
Taemin had been about to greet him, and Onew, who came in, smiling genially behind him, when he saw their expressions change at the sight of the other person in the room with him. Confused, Taemin turned to Leeteuk, who seemed to equally confused, and then, he watched as that confused expression turned frozen as a third person entered the room.
“Is Taemin cooking? Bah, I hope you aren’t messing up my kitchen, because if you are-”
Taemin swung around to see Key standing stock-still, his facial expression unreadable as his eyes fell onto Leeteuk. But, wait - hadn’t Hyunjoong said Key wouldn’t be back for at least another day? Now entirely having lost sense of the situation, Taemin looked around for anyone to clarify things for him. But everyone seemed to be frozen in the tension that was thick in the room - and Taemin could deduce nothing except that Key wasn’t exactly thrilled to see Leeteuk here.
Finally, the silence was broken as Leeteuk took a step forward, reaching out to Key. “Kibum…”
“Don’t.” Key hissed, his eyes narrowing with such warning, Taemin took an involuntary step back. “Don’t call me that.”
Then before anyone could say anything else, Key turned on his heel, rushing out of the room with anger-filled steps. Taemin was still reeling with bewilderment even as Onew rushed out after Key, and Leeteuk slumped down onto a chair, covering his face with his hands.
Jonghyun sighed, rubbing his face, his jovial expression now entirely gone. “Boy… Hyunjoong did it again, didn’t he?”
Before Taemin could ask Jonghyun what he meant, Taemin caught a glimpse of something shining out of the corner of his eyes. The glint of glass and gold. A pince-nez. Hyunjoong.
He had disappeared once Taemin whirled around. But Taemin had caught sight of his expression before he’d moved off from the window he was looking through.
It wasn’t the expression of someone who had done something wrong. On the contrary, it was the expression of someone entirely pleased with himself.
As if Hyunjoong was glad that he’d sown the seeds of discord in the middle of an already testy situation.
~*~
Everyone refused to tell Taemin anything. Leeteuk, having gone pale white, had excused himself to his room. And Jonghyun had gone all strange again - his manner serious and unbefitting of a trickster like him.
“You should just mind your own business, Taemin.” Jonghyun had said sharply at Taemin’s attempt to find out what the heck was going on. He must have flinched, because Jonghyun’s expression softened just a bit. “I know it’s a bit harsh, but in a place like this, it’s only meant to protect you. You’re too young and naïve for a place like this, Lee Taemin.”
He hadn’t understood what Jonghyun had meant, and it seemed he never would. Left alone in the kitchen with a pile of rapidly drying scrambled eggs, he sighed at the discarded breakfast and decided to make the best of it. Gathering what he could and adding on what wasn’t there, Taemin prepared two trays of breakfast - one for Nicole and one for Jungmin, since it was most likely the rest wouldn’t be in the mood for food anytime soon.
Jungmin hadn’t been in his room, so Taemin left the tray along with a note. He wondered where Jungmin could have gone - most likely he’d heard the commotion and was now consoling Leeteuk on whatever had happened. If that were so, then Taemin was most likely going to have to look for the Tupperware - which he supposed was good, since Key didn’t seem likely to be cooking for the period Leeteuk and his gang stayed.
He was deep in his musings as he knocked on Nicole’s door, and he didn’t think it too odd when she didn’t answer. Probably still asleep. So, cautiously, he opened the door and peered around, in case she was to be bathing (and if that were so, Taemin would have been branded a pervert for life), but what he saw instead was Nicole, lying inert on the ground.
At first, his blood had turned cold, thinking Nicole and he rushed in, placing the tray sloppily onto the nearest flat surface, juice spilling over, plates clattering. But upon closer inspection, he realized she was still breathing as he hoisted her into his arms, and she stirred when he gently placed her down back into the bed.
“Y-you… no, don’t bother about me.” She groaned, weakly pushing him away. “He’s getting away.”
“He?” Taemin frowned, turning towards the open window where Nicole was pointing.
“Hara’s attacker!” Nicole hissed, having overexerted herself, and Taemin realized, in horror, that the ruby liquid spilling from her arm was blood.
“No! It is but a small wound I can take care of myself. If you want to help, don’t let him get away!” Nicole pushed Taemin’s flailing hands and murmurs of getting help. “Go! You can still catch him!”
Since it seemed the only way to calm Nicole down, Taemin nodded, moving off to the window and jumping to the ground. There, he saw the shadow of a figure just slipping off into the shadows, and growling, he stealthily gave chase, knowing he would be more likely to catch the assailant if he had the advantage of surprise.
Weeks of exploring was beginning to pay off. And Taemin grinned when the attacker, obviously unused to the layout of the house, began to walk deeper and deeper into his depths. Taemin on the other hand, easily stalked him, knowing every crook and cranny to hide in, easily escaping the attacker’s attention even when they were in the same room.
He waited for a chance, and it prevented itself soon enough - at the blue room with the porcelain figures portraying sadness, where there were two doors which would lead to the same big room with the mannequins. And when the assailant went through one door, he went through the other, slinking amongst the shadows, and expecting an opportunity to pounce.
But he was no granted with one, for although there were most of the factors present there for Taemin to make his move, he was missing something absolutely vital - someone to pounce on.
Eyes widening, Taemin ran into the middle of the room in a panic, his eyes darting everywhere, his mind shouting that this could not be in any way possible. But it was, and Taemin found himself, without knowing how, alone in the room with nothing but mannequins.
“Damnit!” Taemin cursed, venting his frustration on a hapless mannequin. It toppled over with a thud, and Taemin had been about to kick it before he thought better of it. Sighing, he bent over to replace it again, all the while cursing the impossibility of it all. He was so sure he’d gotten the guy. So sure, in his musings, he hadn’t heard the quiet footsteps behind him, nor the slither of metal being pulled from its sheath. It was only the dull reflection in the mannequin’s plastic surface, that Taemin caught the distortion of movement, and turned around just in time to see a blued blade flashing down upon him.
He raised his daggers, managing to catch the blade in a cross formation before it made quick work of his chest. But the fact that he’d managed to block the blow didn’t faze the attacker as it usually did most, and he never even had the chance to forge a quick attack by slipping one of his daggers out and stabbing the assailant while he was disoriented. It was one stroke, and the daggers flew out of his hands, another that had him dodging frantically and retreating straight into a wall.
A trick of the light prevented Taemin from seeing his attacker’s face, but the sword now raised in the third and final strike against him was definitely the cursed sword Leeteuk had brought into Hyunjoong’s care. The sword that had murdered Go Hara, and now, Taemin hazarded with what might as well be his final thoughts, him as well.
The blade paused, almost in a dramatic moment. And the world seemed to slow for Taemin, life flashing before his eyes - things he did, thing he never did, and now would never do. He might have laughed at how cliché it all was, and because it seemed a good way to go. But his voice was stuck in his throat, so all that came up was a strange sort of gurgle, eyes wide as he watched the instrument of his would-be death bear down upon him.
He hadn’t known he’d closed his eyes until he opened them again. And it took a few moments for his brain to work again and process the fact that he wasn’t dead yet, and that the one who had prevented it was engaging his attacker in battle with nothing but a makeshift weapon that looked like the hastily ripped of arm of a mannequin.
He snapped out of it long enough to let out a cry of warning, seeing the flash of a second sword. And without thinking, he let loose of one of the dagger clutched in his hands, despite having the street knowledge that it was foolish to throw a dagger like the heroes did in fairy tales.
Either he got lucky or he had better aim that he’d though (most likely the former), but the dagger flew true and embedded itself into the assailant’s arm. With an unearthly roar, the attacker let go of the cursed blade in order to clutch at his arm, sneak attack now thwarted.
He didn’t really know what happened next, everything blurs of colour and movement. He thought he saw the attacker making a tactical retreat, and his saviour chasing after. Things went black after a while, until there was a flash of a different sort of black, and someone calling his name. “Taemin? Taemin?”
But Taemin wouldn’t answer. The shock had taken its toll, and into unconsciousness he fell.
~*~
The way light fell into his eyes was somewhat familiar, yet foreign at the same time. And he woke up with a start, hand pressed to his head, regretting it as the headache assaulted him from sleeping at an hour he usually did not sleep in.
“Great, you’re awake. Now you can tell me what the fuck you thought you were doing chasing after a Possessed on your own.”
Taemin, quick to learn from these sort of mistakes, turned slowly to see Key leaning against the ledge of his window, arms folded, looking as sour as the first day Taemin’d met him. Except, Taemin could see the difference between then and now - as odd as it was, there was some sort of motherly concern in Key’s eyes. And the grudging tone was but Key’s only way of showing his care - like he did when he cooked for the whole lot of them, and when he whacked Taemin over the head for mindlessly pick up an artifact in order to better reach a spot he’d missed.
“Key…”
“If you’re going to make excuses for your appalling behaviour, then don’t bother. You and I both know, although maybe for you, it’s in retrospect, that your actions were just plain stupidity. Or maybe you still don’t know, so I have to spell it out for you. You were S-T-U-P-I-D. Get it? S-T-U-P-I-D.”
Key was always more scathing when he was worried, Taemin mused, but it didn’t stop him from interrupting at the first breath Key took, in between what was probably another string of insults at his mental capabilities.
“Key.”
“What?”
“Thanks. I mean, for saving me. I know what I did was dumb. So… sorry.”
The way Key’s mouth opened in utter surprise, before stuttering shut was priceless and worth Taemin’s mirth, if he hadn’t actually been sincere with his words. And they sat in a mixture of astonished and heartfelt silence, until Key finally broke it.
“R-right.” Key seemed to decide that the safest course of action now was to continue on as if nothing had happened. “So tell me again why you were chasing after a Possessed on your own.”
“Possessed?”
“Ah. Sorry. It’s a term used by us exo-” Key paused realizing his slip.
“Us exorcists?” Taemin completed, phrasing it as a question when it wasn’t really. And Key ignored him, as Taemin guessed he would.
“It just means someone who has been possessed by a spirit, malevolent or otherwise, in this case-”
“The cursed blade that’s sitting on my table?”
Key gave Taemin a glare that could have frozen hell over. “Can you stop completing my sentences?”
“Sorry.” Taemin made the motion of zipping his lips, only because he knew he would know no more of the matter if Key got irritated at him, throwing something at him before stomping out of the room in a huff.
“Anyway,” Key settled back down, folding his arms again. “They’re extremely dangerous because a Possessed usually has no sense of morals, controlled entirely by the need that has been exaggerated by the spirit he or she has been possessed by. Even seasoned exorcists know better than to go after one alone.”
“Well… I didn’t know it was a Possessed I was chasing after.” Taemin began before seeing it as a mistake, since Key was beginning to open his mouth, no doubt to chide Taemin that ignorance was no excuse for stupidity. “And I wasn’t thinking straight. I’d just found Nicole after she was attacked by him… her… it? Anyway, I found Nicole on the floor, and she was frantic, telling me to go after him or else he’d get away. And I guess I was too caught up in the moment to consider calling someone else for back-up.”
Key’s question thereafter wasn’t what Taemin expected. “Wait… Nicole is here too?”
“…Yeah.” Taemin nodded, after a moment of bemusement.
“That’s odd…” Key seemed distracted after hearing that piece of information. “How come I didn’t sense her at all…?”
“Key?”
Taemin’s call of his name seemed to break him out of his thoughts. And shaking his head as if shaking cobwebs from his mind, he stood up. “Get some more rest. You had quite the shock. I’m going to report to Hyunjoong.”
“Key. Wait.” Taemin hesitated once the human paused in the doorway. “I… Key, will you tell me what’s going on between you and Leeteuk’s group? I can guess that you knew him from last time, and from what I’ve heard, you were most probably part of Leeteuk’s group. But other than that…” Jonghyun had told him not to pry, but he thought, after all he’d gone through, he deserved to at least try. But he promised to himself that if Key walked away now, ignoring his question, he wouldn’t pursue the matter any further.
But Key didn’t ignore him. Only looking at him with a steady look which Taemin returned with confidence he didn’t really have. Finally, the human sighed, moving back to the ledge and leaning against it, as if a signal for Taemin to lean back as well.
“It’s an unsatisfactory story.” Key began, his lips thin and his voice just as much. “And you probably will be disappointed.”
“Tell me anyway.” Taemin bid, and with a sigh, Key did.
~*~
“I joined Leeteuk’s bunch even before my brain developed the functions of a memory. Leeteuk told me he picked me up as a baby among the ruins of a village wrecked by demons. He never knew who my parents were, and as far as I’m concerned, he and Kangin - Leeteuk’s partner, were mine. And the rest of the gang, my siblings.”
“I held a knife in my hand since I was two, and learnt my first incantation at six. At thirteen, I defeated, although now I admit it, in luck, a Tengu all on my own. I was on the top of the world - I thought I was the best exorcist of all times. And for a while, the gang treated me like I was. Leeteuk was proud, of course. Kangin just as, although he showed it more. The older kids respected me, and the younger ones treated me like a hero.”
“But time passed, and then Leeteuk recruited someone new after a long while - a guy named Eli. He was had a good number of kills under his belt, but more than that, he was charismatic. And within a span of a few weeks, he had everyone under his charm. Everyone except me. I thought - what was the big deal? We all had about the same sort of accomplishments as him. It was simple as to why I didn’t feel the same way as everyone else - I was jealous.”
“At first it wasn’t so bad. But then, he saved two of the younger ones, who got in over their heads entering a Kappa swamp.”
“His… for a lack of a better word, popularity, exploded. And suddenly, I, the star child, was pushed out of the limelight. For the first time, there was someone else the gang held in reverence. And I hated Eli for that - for the way he’d snatched my cushy spot away from me. For taking the place that was, I thought, rightfully mine.”
“I was 19 when I found this place. This Store. By then, the jealousy had turned into uglier hate. And I came here with the agenda of murder - my wish was that Eli Kim dead a horrible, painful death.”
“The store-keeper then, a Lee Sooman, wasn’t as kind or scrupulous as Hyunjoong is. He granted my wish, getting me to sign a contract he made. And in my haste, I didn’t read it through.”
“I got my wish. Eli died - in a most gruesome manner that I won’t bother to describe. And I had to pay the price… and more.”
“The store required me to remain human forever - and now after years have passed, I realize it is the giving up of my true wish. That I remain mediocre and weak, never being the strongest and kept away from that limelight I once so desperately sought. But the contract I signed with Lee Sooman stated more than that. I was an indentured servant of the store… until he released me.”
“Leeteuk was furious, and he tried to get me out of it. But I was… to put it plainly, an idiot. All my fear at only just realizing what I had done turned into hatred, which I unjustly directed at him. I shouted at him, yelled at him that it was his fault that I had gotten into this mess. That if he had paid more attention to me, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. There were more hurtful words said, but essentially, I told him I never wanted to see him again, and until today, he has kept my wish.”
“Lee Sooman never did release me from my bond. He died before he could. I think the Store got rid of him - because it is its nature to be hard upon those who do not abide by its rules. New store-keepers came, and some I told of my situation, but it seems that only Lee Sooman can release me from this indenture, and now he never will.”
~*~
Everything seemed to fall silent after Key finished his tale. His words were much more than Taemin had bargained to learn, and so much was now explained with the light Key had cast upon those things once unexplained. But in return, there was a shadow in Key’s face now, a shadow which Taemin, in empathy, wanted to lift.
But it would have taken the very brave, or very foolish to break that silence. And after the words, “Why don’t you just apologize, it’s been a long time. I’m sure Leeteuk has forgiven you by now.”, Taemin thought maybe he was more of the latter.
Key’s smile was hollow. “That may be so. But the problem is, I have yet to forgive myself.”
There was nothing one could say to that. And Taemin, for once, followed the status quo.
Key seemed to appreciate Taemin’s effort, and it drew out a wry sigh. “Get some sleep. I need to report to Hyunjoong.” But long after Key had left, and the shadows had lengthened inside the room, Taemin had yet to get his supposed sleep, staring at the door where the memory of Key’s sadness still drifted upon.
“All things have their time.”
It was said by someone and something. And Taemin had the hazy recollection of brown hair, musk and the press of a warm body against his. But like magic, a deep sleep he fell into, and nothing more was said.
~*~
[ Chapter 7]