Invisible Magic
Title: Invisible Magic (Part One)
Author: his_angel16
Characters: Exo
Genre: Fantasy, Angst, Romance
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own the plot, not the people. Any actual likeness to any given person is purely coincidental.
Summary: All of his life he spent running. The shortest break he had was when he was twelve, but that was years ago now. Jongin was nineteen now, an adult. No more running away. It was time to face his pursuer head-on, but the truth that he discovers could be his uprising or his downfall. And Tao finally finds the courage to speak up about his past, about betraying the one person he had sworn loyalty to.
It was simple, really. All he had to do was lure the man out. He wasn't from any agency he knew of, but he looked intimidating enough to be from one. He chased Jongin all over the world. When he was twelve, they ran into each other in Australia; at fourteen, they crossed paths again in Canada; and when he was sixteen, he had been chased to Brazil. It was getting old, this game of cat and mouse. Jongin knew what he had to do. He had to get rid of this guy once and for all. Most people would have given up years ago when he first began avoiding them, but this particular one was persistent. He could see the man across the road, cars being the only barrier between the two. He stared at the guy, wondering what was so special about him.
He was wearing black skinny jeans, a navy blue shirt with Chinese writing scrawled across it, white shoes, and a pair of expensive sunglasses. Frowning, Jongin couldn't help but compare them. He was wearing faded blue jeans, a holey tee shirt, an old pair of high tops, and had his jacket tied around his waist. He looked up as the light changed, the little LED board saying it was safe to cross. He crossed the street quickly, finding that the man in the shades was smiling.
“So, are you done playing this game?” he asked, arms crossed over his chest.
“Why are you stalking me?” Jongin replied instead. He didn’t want to answer this stranger's question until he got his own answer.
“Look, I’ve been trying to find you for a very long time, Kim Jongin.” He pulled his shades of, blinking as the full brightness of the sun hit his face. “I have all the time in the world, so keep running if you wish.”
“You didn’t answer my question.” He stared at him, frowning. “Why go so far as to chase me all over the world? I can go anywhere in seconds, while it takes you days to follow me, to track me down. Why bother?”
“Because I need you.”
Jongin blinked, slightly shocked at his straightforward answer. “Need me for what?”
“You are able to teleport anywhere you wish. You're different, you're special. You're unique. There are twelve people in this world that possess power like yours. All you have to do is seek them out.” He placed his glasses upon his head, fixing his hair. “If you don't believe me, I'll show you.” He pointed toward the road, snapping his fingers.
Jongin rolled his eyes, looking over his shoulder. He was expecting to see some random parlor trick with doves or daisies, not to see traffic was stopped, people were stopped, all frozen in place. Looking back toward the man, he lowered his voice. “Who are you?”
“My name is Huang Zitao. And I am the original hero of time.” Jongin wasn't sure if he should believe him, but after the display of stopping time, he knew he had to. “Call me Tao. It's what I’ve gone by for centuries now.”
“These other people, who are they?”
“They're all together. We're the only ones missing from it. If you come back to Korea with me, I'll introduce you to them.” He held out his hand. “What do you say?”
Jongin stared at it, frowning. “I'm not sure. I still think it's creepy that you've been following me for seven years.”
Tao sighed. “Look, it's either you come with us, or the world as we know it ends. When we were given these powers, the magical being responsible neglected to tell us that it's crazy brother would come after us. She vanished a long time ago. I’ve tried to contact her, but I think her brother might have killed her.” He pursed his lips. “I assume you've turned into a wolf already? And that you don't really have anywhere else to go since I’ve chased you all over the place. You never had the chance to settle down anywhere.” He held his hand out again, a little closer. “So, come with me and all of that changes.”
Staring at Tao’s hand, Jongin frowned. “I think I'll pass. I don't believe in magical creatures or anything. I have a genetic defect and that's why I can teleport and change into a wolf. Good luck with your war or whatever.” He turned to leave, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Kai would have wanted you to do it.”
Jongin stopped turning back around. “How did you know my great-great-great-great-grandfather's name? You really are a stalker, aren’t you?”
Tao sighed again. “I am not a stalker! If anything, I’m a guardian! I was friends with Kai a very long time ago. You look a lot like him. He could teleport like you, but he wasn't against doing his duty.” Tao shoved a card into Jongin's hand. “That's the address. Come if you change your mind about joining us. I’m going to go home. You've irritated me from day one.”
Jongin watched him leave, arms snaking around his waist as a chin dug into his shoulder. “You should go,” the man stated, eyes glaring at Tao’s retreating form.
“Why? You've already told me that things happen when all twelve powers are together. Why risk one of us dying?” Jongin felt nails dig into his stomach. He was used to the treatment, not even wincing anymore.
“Because, I want information on them. I need to know which ones I might be able to trust, which ones that I can't. It's very important.”
Jongin looked over his shoulder as the man took a step back. “You said that your sister gave us these gifts, right?” He waited as the man nodded. “Then why doesn't she just take them back?”
“Because she doesn't want to, but the others, they want to kill her for what she's done. Only by taking these powers back, can I save her.” He stared at Jongin. “You'll help me, right?”
Frowning, Jongin looked down at the card in his hand, the address staring back at him. “I'll help you.” He held up a hand when the man grinned. “But, you have to promise me that no one is going to get hurt.”
“Dear child,” the man cooed, running his hand through Jongin's hair. “You've trusted me for most of your life. Why wouldn't you be able to trust me now?”
Jongin nodded. “I'll go there. And I'll let you know if I find out anything about your sister.”
“Good. Ah, make sure you keep a safe distance from the telepathic one. I believe his name is Luhan. He'll be able to read your mind. Be careful around him.”
“I will be. Thanks for the warning. I'll try to figure out something soon.” He turned to run after Tao.
Chuckling, the man turned away, heading back to Jongin's apartment. He lived there, too, but he remained hidden. No one really knew he was there. “Foolish boy.” He laughed again, louder than before. “You've been so naive placing your trust in a person you barely know. Certainly you can sense my true intentions? You're just too blind to realize them.” He faded into the shadows, laughter lost in the sounds of the city.
Jongin was staring at the house, a little overwhelmed. He had come here with Tao, who had disappeared suddenly. He kicked his shoe against the ground, chewing on his lip as the others stared at him. He was uncomfortable under their gaze.
“Let's go sit down. We'll introduce ourselves then,” Joonmyeon suggested, motioning for everyone to head inside. He waited as they all filed in, going to the library. He looked at Jongin, smiling at him. “Come on, Jongin.”
Nodding, he took hesitant steps into the house. He followed after Joonmyeon, looking around curiously. There wasn't anything that really captured his attention until he followed the large group into the little hallway in the library. The torches on the walls were medieval, something only seen in old movies about palaces and royal families. He frowned, looking at the large table in front of him. Everyone else had taken their seats, sitting patiently with their hands folded on their laps. There were only two empty chairs, Joonmyeon having taken his seat. He frowned as Luhan reached out and tapped the chair next to him. When they were all seated, Tao walked in, sitting in between Sehun and Kris.
“This is the first time all twelve of us are meeting,” Tao began, all eyes turning to him. “Let me be the first to say that I’m relieved we were able to find our ways here, from different countries and through time. I’ve waited a very long time for this day.”
“We'll start with Tao and go around the table, saying are names and our gifts,” Joonmyeon added. He looked at Tao. “You can start.”
Tao nodded, smiling a little. “It's weird, Joonmyeon, I still see you as that little five year old. It's hard to believe you're twenty-two.” He shook his head, reaching out to ruffle Sehun's hair. “And you're not twelve anymore. You're nineteen.” He sighed, placing his hands on the table. “I'm sure all of you know by now, but I'll humor you. I’m Huang Zitao, the original hero of time. All of you call me Tao.”
“I'm Wu Yi Fan, but call me Kris. I fly,” Kris stated, grinning. He looked over at Yixing.
“Zhang Yixing and I’m the healer,” he said simply, smiling.
After hearing that Minseok was frost, Jongdae was lightning, and Luhan was telepathy, Jongin cleared his throat. He was sitting next to the one he was warned about. Pushing the thought aside, he stared at the table. “I'm Kim Jongin.” He looked up, flashing a smile. “And I have the power of teleportation.”
He waited as the others introduced themselves. He gave Sehun an odd look when he realized his hair had been dyed multiple colors. He was surprised they allowed him to do that, but they weren’t exactly his parents, so he shrugged it off.
“So, what now?” Kyungsoo asked, large eyes roving around the room.
“We can split into teams and play tag,” Minseok said, nudging Jongdae. The younger put his head down, face flushed in embarrassment.
Luhan looked at Jongin. “Whenever we gained a new family member, Jongdae made us all play tag. It was a good ice breaker,” he explained. He grinned, shooting Minseok a look. “Pun not intended.”
“Hey, he never broke through my defenses! You're the one that slipped up!” Minseok pouted, arms crossed over his chest.
Jongin looked at Joonmyeon, pointing to Minseok. “Are you sure he's the oldest?”
Laughing, Joonmyeon nodded. “Yeah, Minseok hyung is the oldest. And little Sehunnie is the youngest.” He laughed again, watching Sehun hide his face against Tao’s shoulder. “Oh, we'll show you to your room. This have gotten a little shaky in the past, but it's to be expected with so many of us living here.”
“There's six rooms,” Minseok said, Jongin looking at him. “Luhan and I used to share a room, but we're constantly fighting and breaking up before getting back together. I share a room with Kris and he shares one with Yixing.”
“Except Kris and Yixing are dating, too,” Luhan added. “So, depending on whether either couple is fighting, that's where we sleep.”
“The only vacant room is Baekhyun's,” Chanyeol stated. He reached over, pulling on the other's hair before his hand was smacked away. He was trying not to laugh when the phone rang.
“I'll get it,” Joonmyeon stated. He left his seat, hurrying down the hallway. He picked it up in the library.
Jongin was silent while everyone chatted amongst themselves. He was starting to feel left out after a few minutes until Kyungsoo turned to him. “What's something you like doing?” he frowned when the younger shrugged. “You don't know what you like to do?”
“Not really. I’ve been moving around a lot since I was little.” Jongin saw the sympathy in the other's eyes and waved his and to dismiss it. “No, it's okay. Really. I wanted to move around a lot. One place bores me after a while.”
Kyungsoo nodded. “Well, since so many of us live here, you might not get bores for a while.”
Jongin watched as Joonmyeon came back, looking pale. He furrowed his brows, worry pushing everything else aside. Seeing the look on his face, Tao turned around, instantly standing up.
“What is it?” he asked, tone urgent. He took Joonmyeon by the wrist, pulling him a step closer. “Joonmyeon, what's wrong?”
“That was the hospital,” Joonmyeon whispered. The room was quiet enough that everyone was able to hear. “Grandpa's gone.” He sniffled, but he didn’t break down until Tao hugged him. He twisted his fingers into the fabric of his shirt, burying his head in the crook of his neck.
“Hyun Ri is gone?” Minseok asked, frowning. His own grandfather had passed a few years ago, Minseok having gone to the funeral with Luhan and Yixing. His parents had been there, but he ignored them when they tried to talk to him. He had screamed at his parents later into the night, accusing them of abandoning him, throwing him to the wolves. Luhan had snickered at the choice of words, Yixing having remained quiet until they were able to pull Minseok away. He didn’t have many memories of that night, but he supposed it was for the better. The mind tends to block out traumatic experiences only to have them dumped on you later in life.
“I'll take him to the hospital. No one else leaves the property, okay?” He turned before remembering something. “Oh, and keep Chanyeol out of the library.”
Chanyeol sat up straighter at hearing his voice. “What? Why?” he whined, pouting.
“Because the last time you were left in the library alone, you torched the books,” Kris reminded him. “Just because you're of legal age, don't forget that I’m still your legal guardian on paper.”
Chanyeol stuck his tongue out at the elder before looking at Baekhyun. “Let's go, Baek.” He looked at Jongin. “We'll show you to your room.”
Jongin got up, following the other two. He was quiet as they playfully hit each other and shoved each other, nearly knocking him down the stairs. They giggled as they apologized, but Jongin told them it was nothing. He wondered how many of the others fell victim to their antics. On the second floor, he stopped as he stared at the doors.
“Joonmyeon's room is blue; Minseok and Kris’s room is white and orange; Luhan and Yixing's is black and gold; Kyungsoo and Sehun's room is brown and green.” Chanyeol grinned at him. “Mine and Jongdae's is red and purple.”
“And mine is yellow,” Baekhyun stated. “Joonmyeon's had his room since birth and none of us wanted to take it away from him, make him share. Until now, I've had my own room. But I can share.” He looked at Jongin, deep in thought. “What color of pin did they use for him? Kris hyung said it before, but I can't remember.”
“Wasn't it clear?” Chanyeol thought back, hands on his hips as he nodded. “Yeah, I think it was clear.”
“You can choose what you want to do with your half of the room.” He opened his bedroom door and Jongin paused right inside as the other two sat down on Baekhyun's bed. “When it was just Kris hyung, Chanyeol, and I, we shared a room.” He motioned between himself and Chanyeol.
Jongin saw that the carpet was white, the walls being painted yellow halfway up. He looked at the empty bed opposite of Baekhyun's. It was covered with thick black blankets with a fluffy looking pillow. He walked over to the bed, sitting down slowly. He reached out to see if the pillow was as fluffy as it looked, eyes widening as his hand sank into it. He looked over at the other two, eyes still wide.
“Overly fluffy pillows?” he asked, hand closing on the pillow.
Baekhyun nodded, fixing his hair. “Yeah, Joonmyeon hyung bought all of them when we all started moving in. He has an extra few in the one closet by his room.”
Jongin looked down at the pillow before falling over onto it. His head sank into it and he sighed. “I've never had a pillow this fluffy. I feel like I’m sleeping on a cloud.”
Chanyeol laughed. “I'll leave you two to get acquainted. I’m about to put saran wrap on both of the toilets and see who's stupid enough to fall for it.” He waggled his eyebrows. “And I might put hand soap on one of the handles of their doors.” He was laughing as he left the room.
“Is he always like that?” Jongin closed his eyes, relaxing into his bed. He hadn’t had on this nice in a long time.
“Yeah, but I’m giving you a heads up. Just because Chanyeol warned us, doesn't mean we're out of his sight. He'll either say that he gave us a warning so we can't be angry, that we knew about it and didn’t say anything, or just laugh his ass off at us for being gullible enough to fall for it.” Baekhyun frowned down at the floor.
Cracking an eye open, Jongin pushed himself up a little. “Why do you always look like that?”
“Look like what?” Baekhyun pulled on his bracelet. It was a birthday present from Kris a few years ago. He bit his lip as his fingers grazed the sun hanging from it.
Jongin sat up. “Like that.” He pointed as he waited for Baekhyun to look up. “You look like a kicked puppy or something.”
Smiling, Baekhyun stared at him. “It's just how I look, okay?” He got up, going to their door and pulling it open. He stepped into the hall just as something popped, raining glitter down on him. Looking at the sparkly mess pooled around him on the floor, he stomped his foot. “Damn you, Park Chanyeol! You're a dead man!” He could hear snickering coming from downstairs.
Jongin waited until Baekhyun went downstairs, apparently going after Chanyeol, before he slipped out of their room. He walked over to Joonmyeon's, looking around before he turned the knob. He slipped into his room unseen, closing the door quietly behind himself. He noticed papers and books scattered on the desk, nothing really standing out. Going to the closet, he opened the door, frowning when he found no secret places where he could have hidden something. He turned, something glinting in the setting son. Frowning, he walked over to it, picking up a bracelet similar to Baekhyun's. This one had a triangle dangling from it, an intricate design swirled within the circle. He brushed his fingers over it, placing it back down.
“Should I check the library?” he asked himself. He turned around, finding a bookshelf. Approaching it, he scanned the selves, a stack of letters standing out. Picking them up, he found they were all addressed to Joonmyeon and from Tao. Opening the first one, he frowned. It was about him. “I've found the last power. He's Sehun's age, maybe a few months older. He knows I’m looking for him, but he's vanished again.” He set it aside and picked up another one. “Found him again after two years. This kid is crafty, but he'll be able to help us because of it.” He picked up another one, eyes scanning over the words. “I really hope I can convince him to come with me. Joonmyeon, I fear that he's been brainwashed, controlled. I don't know what to do.”
I'm not brainwashed. And no one tells me what to do but me. So why...?
He looked up at hearing rustling outside of the door. He scrambled to collect the letters, stuffing them back in their place before he concentrated on anywhere but there. In a puff of smoke, he was in the living room. He jumped when Chanyeol shrieked, glaring down at him. Sehun and Kyungsoo were staring at him with wide eyes.
“What?” he snapped, fixing his shirt.
“That's going to take some getting used to,” Sehun replied. He was the first to control his expression, turning back to the television. “Hey, Jongdae hyung! Where's the popcorn already?”
Jongdae came hurrying from the kitchen, handing a bowl of popcorn to Sehun before sitting on the floor in front of him. Kyungsoo was on one side of the couch, curled into a ball while Chanyeol was sitting on floor with Jongdae. He opened his mouth to ask what movie they were going to watch, and if he could join them, but the door opened, Tao ushering in Joonmyeon.
“Hyung,” Kyungsoo said, uncurling his limbs to go to him.
“Take him upstairs, Kyungsoo,” Tao murmured, holding Joonmyeon's hand out toward the younger. “I think he's still in shock.” When the younger had taken Joonmyeon from the room, Tao turned to the others, Jongdae having paused their movie. “It wasn't his illness that killed him. One of the staff, a worker that had been there for years, gave him an antibiotic that he was allergic to before he disconnected the call light.”
“They murdered him?” Chanyeol asked, eyebrows knitted together.
“Yes, and the man already confessed.” Tao tilted his head to the side, crossing his arms over his chest. “I'm just not sure what to make of it. He seems to be in complete mental health. What could have possessed him to do such a thing?”
Sehun frowned, twisting his hair in his fingers. “Maybe he was paid to do it,” he stated, staring at the wall. “People pay large amounts of money for more childish things. Perhaps someone was tired of him being there.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” Tao nodded, biting his lip. “Sehun, why don't you and Jongdae come with me to the library. We'll speak about this matter there. Chanyeol, take Jongin with you and get a couple of the others. Work on devising a strategy for our final battle.”
Chanyeol nodded, standing up. He hit Jongin his the shoulder with the back of his hand. “Come one. We'll get Baekhyun, Luhan hyung, and Minseok hyung. We'll be on the same team with Baekhyun and the hyungs can be a team.” He made a face, shuddering. “I just hope that they're not on great terms with each other. If they are, we'll lose before the match begins.”
Jongin followed Chanyeol, finding Luhan and Minseok sitting in their room playing a game of cards. They agreed to the match, so they went to look for Baekhyun. Knocking on the bathroom door, Luhan frowned when they didn’t get an answer.
“Baekhyun?” he asked, pushing open the door. Chanyeol giggled behind him at seeing the plastic bag covering the other's hair. “What are you doing?”
Cracking an eye open, Baekhyun looked over. “I'm lightening my hair. Go away, I was meditating, too,” he replied, closing his eye and turning to face the wall again.
“Come practice with us,” Minseok said, leaning around Luhan. “We want to see what you three can do with Jongin on your team.”
Baekhyun sighed, opening his eyes as he ripped the bag from his head. He shoved his head over the sink, turning the water on. Watching as the water turned from a dirty color to clear, he turned the water off. He wrapped his hair in a towel. He pushed away from the sink. “Happy now?” he grumbled, pushing through them to go downstairs.
Jongin followed him, the elder three following him. Baekhyun chose the first practice room they reached, pushing the door open. He shrieked, slamming it closed. His eyes were wide as he clutched at his shirt.
Author: his_angel16
Characters: Exo
Genre: Fantasy, Angst, Romance
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own the plot, not the people. Any actual likeness to any given person is purely coincidental.
Summary: All of his life he spent running. The shortest break he had was when he was twelve, but that was years ago now. Jongin was nineteen now, an adult. No more running away. It was time to face his pursuer head-on, but the truth that he discovers could be his uprising or his downfall. And Tao finally finds the courage to speak up about his past, about betraying the one person he had sworn loyalty to.
It was simple, really. All he had to do was lure the man out. He wasn't from any agency he knew of, but he looked intimidating enough to be from one. He chased Jongin all over the world. When he was twelve, they ran into each other in Australia; at fourteen, they crossed paths again in Canada; and when he was sixteen, he had been chased to Brazil. It was getting old, this game of cat and mouse. Jongin knew what he had to do. He had to get rid of this guy once and for all. Most people would have given up years ago when he first began avoiding them, but this particular one was persistent. He could see the man across the road, cars being the only barrier between the two. He stared at the guy, wondering what was so special about him.
He was wearing black skinny jeans, a navy blue shirt with Chinese writing scrawled across it, white shoes, and a pair of expensive sunglasses. Frowning, Jongin couldn't help but compare them. He was wearing faded blue jeans, a holey tee shirt, an old pair of high tops, and had his jacket tied around his waist. He looked up as the light changed, the little LED board saying it was safe to cross. He crossed the street quickly, finding that the man in the shades was smiling.
“So, are you done playing this game?” he asked, arms crossed over his chest.
“Why are you stalking me?” Jongin replied instead. He didn’t want to answer this stranger's question until he got his own answer.
“Look, I’ve been trying to find you for a very long time, Kim Jongin.” He pulled his shades of, blinking as the full brightness of the sun hit his face. “I have all the time in the world, so keep running if you wish.”
“You didn’t answer my question.” He stared at him, frowning. “Why go so far as to chase me all over the world? I can go anywhere in seconds, while it takes you days to follow me, to track me down. Why bother?”
“Because I need you.”
Jongin blinked, slightly shocked at his straightforward answer. “Need me for what?”
“You are able to teleport anywhere you wish. You're different, you're special. You're unique. There are twelve people in this world that possess power like yours. All you have to do is seek them out.” He placed his glasses upon his head, fixing his hair. “If you don't believe me, I'll show you.” He pointed toward the road, snapping his fingers.
Jongin rolled his eyes, looking over his shoulder. He was expecting to see some random parlor trick with doves or daisies, not to see traffic was stopped, people were stopped, all frozen in place. Looking back toward the man, he lowered his voice. “Who are you?”
“My name is Huang Zitao. And I am the original hero of time.” Jongin wasn't sure if he should believe him, but after the display of stopping time, he knew he had to. “Call me Tao. It's what I’ve gone by for centuries now.”
“These other people, who are they?”
“They're all together. We're the only ones missing from it. If you come back to Korea with me, I'll introduce you to them.” He held out his hand. “What do you say?”
Jongin stared at it, frowning. “I'm not sure. I still think it's creepy that you've been following me for seven years.”
Tao sighed. “Look, it's either you come with us, or the world as we know it ends. When we were given these powers, the magical being responsible neglected to tell us that it's crazy brother would come after us. She vanished a long time ago. I’ve tried to contact her, but I think her brother might have killed her.” He pursed his lips. “I assume you've turned into a wolf already? And that you don't really have anywhere else to go since I’ve chased you all over the place. You never had the chance to settle down anywhere.” He held his hand out again, a little closer. “So, come with me and all of that changes.”
Staring at Tao’s hand, Jongin frowned. “I think I'll pass. I don't believe in magical creatures or anything. I have a genetic defect and that's why I can teleport and change into a wolf. Good luck with your war or whatever.” He turned to leave, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Kai would have wanted you to do it.”
Jongin stopped turning back around. “How did you know my great-great-great-great-grandfather's name? You really are a stalker, aren’t you?”
Tao sighed again. “I am not a stalker! If anything, I’m a guardian! I was friends with Kai a very long time ago. You look a lot like him. He could teleport like you, but he wasn't against doing his duty.” Tao shoved a card into Jongin's hand. “That's the address. Come if you change your mind about joining us. I’m going to go home. You've irritated me from day one.”
Jongin watched him leave, arms snaking around his waist as a chin dug into his shoulder. “You should go,” the man stated, eyes glaring at Tao’s retreating form.
“Why? You've already told me that things happen when all twelve powers are together. Why risk one of us dying?” Jongin felt nails dig into his stomach. He was used to the treatment, not even wincing anymore.
“Because, I want information on them. I need to know which ones I might be able to trust, which ones that I can't. It's very important.”
Jongin looked over his shoulder as the man took a step back. “You said that your sister gave us these gifts, right?” He waited as the man nodded. “Then why doesn't she just take them back?”
“Because she doesn't want to, but the others, they want to kill her for what she's done. Only by taking these powers back, can I save her.” He stared at Jongin. “You'll help me, right?”
Frowning, Jongin looked down at the card in his hand, the address staring back at him. “I'll help you.” He held up a hand when the man grinned. “But, you have to promise me that no one is going to get hurt.”
“Dear child,” the man cooed, running his hand through Jongin's hair. “You've trusted me for most of your life. Why wouldn't you be able to trust me now?”
Jongin nodded. “I'll go there. And I'll let you know if I find out anything about your sister.”
“Good. Ah, make sure you keep a safe distance from the telepathic one. I believe his name is Luhan. He'll be able to read your mind. Be careful around him.”
“I will be. Thanks for the warning. I'll try to figure out something soon.” He turned to run after Tao.
Chuckling, the man turned away, heading back to Jongin's apartment. He lived there, too, but he remained hidden. No one really knew he was there. “Foolish boy.” He laughed again, louder than before. “You've been so naive placing your trust in a person you barely know. Certainly you can sense my true intentions? You're just too blind to realize them.” He faded into the shadows, laughter lost in the sounds of the city.
Jongin was staring at the house, a little overwhelmed. He had come here with Tao, who had disappeared suddenly. He kicked his shoe against the ground, chewing on his lip as the others stared at him. He was uncomfortable under their gaze.
“Let's go sit down. We'll introduce ourselves then,” Joonmyeon suggested, motioning for everyone to head inside. He waited as they all filed in, going to the library. He looked at Jongin, smiling at him. “Come on, Jongin.”
Nodding, he took hesitant steps into the house. He followed after Joonmyeon, looking around curiously. There wasn't anything that really captured his attention until he followed the large group into the little hallway in the library. The torches on the walls were medieval, something only seen in old movies about palaces and royal families. He frowned, looking at the large table in front of him. Everyone else had taken their seats, sitting patiently with their hands folded on their laps. There were only two empty chairs, Joonmyeon having taken his seat. He frowned as Luhan reached out and tapped the chair next to him. When they were all seated, Tao walked in, sitting in between Sehun and Kris.
“This is the first time all twelve of us are meeting,” Tao began, all eyes turning to him. “Let me be the first to say that I’m relieved we were able to find our ways here, from different countries and through time. I’ve waited a very long time for this day.”
“We'll start with Tao and go around the table, saying are names and our gifts,” Joonmyeon added. He looked at Tao. “You can start.”
Tao nodded, smiling a little. “It's weird, Joonmyeon, I still see you as that little five year old. It's hard to believe you're twenty-two.” He shook his head, reaching out to ruffle Sehun's hair. “And you're not twelve anymore. You're nineteen.” He sighed, placing his hands on the table. “I'm sure all of you know by now, but I'll humor you. I’m Huang Zitao, the original hero of time. All of you call me Tao.”
“I'm Wu Yi Fan, but call me Kris. I fly,” Kris stated, grinning. He looked over at Yixing.
“Zhang Yixing and I’m the healer,” he said simply, smiling.
After hearing that Minseok was frost, Jongdae was lightning, and Luhan was telepathy, Jongin cleared his throat. He was sitting next to the one he was warned about. Pushing the thought aside, he stared at the table. “I'm Kim Jongin.” He looked up, flashing a smile. “And I have the power of teleportation.”
He waited as the others introduced themselves. He gave Sehun an odd look when he realized his hair had been dyed multiple colors. He was surprised they allowed him to do that, but they weren’t exactly his parents, so he shrugged it off.
“So, what now?” Kyungsoo asked, large eyes roving around the room.
“We can split into teams and play tag,” Minseok said, nudging Jongdae. The younger put his head down, face flushed in embarrassment.
Luhan looked at Jongin. “Whenever we gained a new family member, Jongdae made us all play tag. It was a good ice breaker,” he explained. He grinned, shooting Minseok a look. “Pun not intended.”
“Hey, he never broke through my defenses! You're the one that slipped up!” Minseok pouted, arms crossed over his chest.
Jongin looked at Joonmyeon, pointing to Minseok. “Are you sure he's the oldest?”
Laughing, Joonmyeon nodded. “Yeah, Minseok hyung is the oldest. And little Sehunnie is the youngest.” He laughed again, watching Sehun hide his face against Tao’s shoulder. “Oh, we'll show you to your room. This have gotten a little shaky in the past, but it's to be expected with so many of us living here.”
“There's six rooms,” Minseok said, Jongin looking at him. “Luhan and I used to share a room, but we're constantly fighting and breaking up before getting back together. I share a room with Kris and he shares one with Yixing.”
“Except Kris and Yixing are dating, too,” Luhan added. “So, depending on whether either couple is fighting, that's where we sleep.”
“The only vacant room is Baekhyun's,” Chanyeol stated. He reached over, pulling on the other's hair before his hand was smacked away. He was trying not to laugh when the phone rang.
“I'll get it,” Joonmyeon stated. He left his seat, hurrying down the hallway. He picked it up in the library.
Jongin was silent while everyone chatted amongst themselves. He was starting to feel left out after a few minutes until Kyungsoo turned to him. “What's something you like doing?” he frowned when the younger shrugged. “You don't know what you like to do?”
“Not really. I’ve been moving around a lot since I was little.” Jongin saw the sympathy in the other's eyes and waved his and to dismiss it. “No, it's okay. Really. I wanted to move around a lot. One place bores me after a while.”
Kyungsoo nodded. “Well, since so many of us live here, you might not get bores for a while.”
Jongin watched as Joonmyeon came back, looking pale. He furrowed his brows, worry pushing everything else aside. Seeing the look on his face, Tao turned around, instantly standing up.
“What is it?” he asked, tone urgent. He took Joonmyeon by the wrist, pulling him a step closer. “Joonmyeon, what's wrong?”
“That was the hospital,” Joonmyeon whispered. The room was quiet enough that everyone was able to hear. “Grandpa's gone.” He sniffled, but he didn’t break down until Tao hugged him. He twisted his fingers into the fabric of his shirt, burying his head in the crook of his neck.
“Hyun Ri is gone?” Minseok asked, frowning. His own grandfather had passed a few years ago, Minseok having gone to the funeral with Luhan and Yixing. His parents had been there, but he ignored them when they tried to talk to him. He had screamed at his parents later into the night, accusing them of abandoning him, throwing him to the wolves. Luhan had snickered at the choice of words, Yixing having remained quiet until they were able to pull Minseok away. He didn’t have many memories of that night, but he supposed it was for the better. The mind tends to block out traumatic experiences only to have them dumped on you later in life.
“I'll take him to the hospital. No one else leaves the property, okay?” He turned before remembering something. “Oh, and keep Chanyeol out of the library.”
Chanyeol sat up straighter at hearing his voice. “What? Why?” he whined, pouting.
“Because the last time you were left in the library alone, you torched the books,” Kris reminded him. “Just because you're of legal age, don't forget that I’m still your legal guardian on paper.”
Chanyeol stuck his tongue out at the elder before looking at Baekhyun. “Let's go, Baek.” He looked at Jongin. “We'll show you to your room.”
Jongin got up, following the other two. He was quiet as they playfully hit each other and shoved each other, nearly knocking him down the stairs. They giggled as they apologized, but Jongin told them it was nothing. He wondered how many of the others fell victim to their antics. On the second floor, he stopped as he stared at the doors.
“Joonmyeon's room is blue; Minseok and Kris’s room is white and orange; Luhan and Yixing's is black and gold; Kyungsoo and Sehun's room is brown and green.” Chanyeol grinned at him. “Mine and Jongdae's is red and purple.”
“And mine is yellow,” Baekhyun stated. “Joonmyeon's had his room since birth and none of us wanted to take it away from him, make him share. Until now, I've had my own room. But I can share.” He looked at Jongin, deep in thought. “What color of pin did they use for him? Kris hyung said it before, but I can't remember.”
“Wasn't it clear?” Chanyeol thought back, hands on his hips as he nodded. “Yeah, I think it was clear.”
“You can choose what you want to do with your half of the room.” He opened his bedroom door and Jongin paused right inside as the other two sat down on Baekhyun's bed. “When it was just Kris hyung, Chanyeol, and I, we shared a room.” He motioned between himself and Chanyeol.
Jongin saw that the carpet was white, the walls being painted yellow halfway up. He looked at the empty bed opposite of Baekhyun's. It was covered with thick black blankets with a fluffy looking pillow. He walked over to the bed, sitting down slowly. He reached out to see if the pillow was as fluffy as it looked, eyes widening as his hand sank into it. He looked over at the other two, eyes still wide.
“Overly fluffy pillows?” he asked, hand closing on the pillow.
Baekhyun nodded, fixing his hair. “Yeah, Joonmyeon hyung bought all of them when we all started moving in. He has an extra few in the one closet by his room.”
Jongin looked down at the pillow before falling over onto it. His head sank into it and he sighed. “I've never had a pillow this fluffy. I feel like I’m sleeping on a cloud.”
Chanyeol laughed. “I'll leave you two to get acquainted. I’m about to put saran wrap on both of the toilets and see who's stupid enough to fall for it.” He waggled his eyebrows. “And I might put hand soap on one of the handles of their doors.” He was laughing as he left the room.
“Is he always like that?” Jongin closed his eyes, relaxing into his bed. He hadn’t had on this nice in a long time.
“Yeah, but I’m giving you a heads up. Just because Chanyeol warned us, doesn't mean we're out of his sight. He'll either say that he gave us a warning so we can't be angry, that we knew about it and didn’t say anything, or just laugh his ass off at us for being gullible enough to fall for it.” Baekhyun frowned down at the floor.
Cracking an eye open, Jongin pushed himself up a little. “Why do you always look like that?”
“Look like what?” Baekhyun pulled on his bracelet. It was a birthday present from Kris a few years ago. He bit his lip as his fingers grazed the sun hanging from it.
Jongin sat up. “Like that.” He pointed as he waited for Baekhyun to look up. “You look like a kicked puppy or something.”
Smiling, Baekhyun stared at him. “It's just how I look, okay?” He got up, going to their door and pulling it open. He stepped into the hall just as something popped, raining glitter down on him. Looking at the sparkly mess pooled around him on the floor, he stomped his foot. “Damn you, Park Chanyeol! You're a dead man!” He could hear snickering coming from downstairs.
Jongin waited until Baekhyun went downstairs, apparently going after Chanyeol, before he slipped out of their room. He walked over to Joonmyeon's, looking around before he turned the knob. He slipped into his room unseen, closing the door quietly behind himself. He noticed papers and books scattered on the desk, nothing really standing out. Going to the closet, he opened the door, frowning when he found no secret places where he could have hidden something. He turned, something glinting in the setting son. Frowning, he walked over to it, picking up a bracelet similar to Baekhyun's. This one had a triangle dangling from it, an intricate design swirled within the circle. He brushed his fingers over it, placing it back down.
“Should I check the library?” he asked himself. He turned around, finding a bookshelf. Approaching it, he scanned the selves, a stack of letters standing out. Picking them up, he found they were all addressed to Joonmyeon and from Tao. Opening the first one, he frowned. It was about him. “I've found the last power. He's Sehun's age, maybe a few months older. He knows I’m looking for him, but he's vanished again.” He set it aside and picked up another one. “Found him again after two years. This kid is crafty, but he'll be able to help us because of it.” He picked up another one, eyes scanning over the words. “I really hope I can convince him to come with me. Joonmyeon, I fear that he's been brainwashed, controlled. I don't know what to do.”
I'm not brainwashed. And no one tells me what to do but me. So why...?
He looked up at hearing rustling outside of the door. He scrambled to collect the letters, stuffing them back in their place before he concentrated on anywhere but there. In a puff of smoke, he was in the living room. He jumped when Chanyeol shrieked, glaring down at him. Sehun and Kyungsoo were staring at him with wide eyes.
“What?” he snapped, fixing his shirt.
“That's going to take some getting used to,” Sehun replied. He was the first to control his expression, turning back to the television. “Hey, Jongdae hyung! Where's the popcorn already?”
Jongdae came hurrying from the kitchen, handing a bowl of popcorn to Sehun before sitting on the floor in front of him. Kyungsoo was on one side of the couch, curled into a ball while Chanyeol was sitting on floor with Jongdae. He opened his mouth to ask what movie they were going to watch, and if he could join them, but the door opened, Tao ushering in Joonmyeon.
“Hyung,” Kyungsoo said, uncurling his limbs to go to him.
“Take him upstairs, Kyungsoo,” Tao murmured, holding Joonmyeon's hand out toward the younger. “I think he's still in shock.” When the younger had taken Joonmyeon from the room, Tao turned to the others, Jongdae having paused their movie. “It wasn't his illness that killed him. One of the staff, a worker that had been there for years, gave him an antibiotic that he was allergic to before he disconnected the call light.”
“They murdered him?” Chanyeol asked, eyebrows knitted together.
“Yes, and the man already confessed.” Tao tilted his head to the side, crossing his arms over his chest. “I'm just not sure what to make of it. He seems to be in complete mental health. What could have possessed him to do such a thing?”
Sehun frowned, twisting his hair in his fingers. “Maybe he was paid to do it,” he stated, staring at the wall. “People pay large amounts of money for more childish things. Perhaps someone was tired of him being there.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” Tao nodded, biting his lip. “Sehun, why don't you and Jongdae come with me to the library. We'll speak about this matter there. Chanyeol, take Jongin with you and get a couple of the others. Work on devising a strategy for our final battle.”
Chanyeol nodded, standing up. He hit Jongin his the shoulder with the back of his hand. “Come one. We'll get Baekhyun, Luhan hyung, and Minseok hyung. We'll be on the same team with Baekhyun and the hyungs can be a team.” He made a face, shuddering. “I just hope that they're not on great terms with each other. If they are, we'll lose before the match begins.”
Jongin followed Chanyeol, finding Luhan and Minseok sitting in their room playing a game of cards. They agreed to the match, so they went to look for Baekhyun. Knocking on the bathroom door, Luhan frowned when they didn’t get an answer.
“Baekhyun?” he asked, pushing open the door. Chanyeol giggled behind him at seeing the plastic bag covering the other's hair. “What are you doing?”
Cracking an eye open, Baekhyun looked over. “I'm lightening my hair. Go away, I was meditating, too,” he replied, closing his eye and turning to face the wall again.
“Come practice with us,” Minseok said, leaning around Luhan. “We want to see what you three can do with Jongin on your team.”
Baekhyun sighed, opening his eyes as he ripped the bag from his head. He shoved his head over the sink, turning the water on. Watching as the water turned from a dirty color to clear, he turned the water off. He wrapped his hair in a towel. He pushed away from the sink. “Happy now?” he grumbled, pushing through them to go downstairs.
Jongin followed him, the elder three following him. Baekhyun chose the first practice room they reached, pushing the door open. He shrieked, slamming it closed. His eyes were wide as he clutched at his shirt.