Shinee Version
Boa stood irritably in front of the window, peering down into the empty lab below. Sure there were other subjects that could be brought in there, but for some reason or another Boa had that lab saved specifically for the four elements E-Tox had apprehended before. It couldn’t be tainted with anything.
A girl entered the room with a clipboard and pen. When the door closed, Boa moved her head slightly to indicate she was listening.
Sunny, suddenly stiff, opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before speaking. She was a quiet, nervous girl who really didn’t fit into the world of E-Tox, but underneath she was strong and determined. Plus, she knew too much about what was going on in Area 99 in general so Boa couldn’t risk setting her free into the world.
“Doctor Boa,” Sunny said in a polite voice. She bowed slightly. “Here are the documents you asked for. Heechul’s being prepped and is almost ready to go out into the field. Doctor Jung wishes you would reconsider this because he feels-”
“Whatever Doctor Jung feels he can tell me himself,” Boa cut her off harshly, “thank-you. Now get back to work.”
Sunny nodded and hurried out of the office quickly, closing the door behind her.
When the girl was gone Boa sat down at the desk and tossed the documents on it absently. Then she grabbed her pen and flipped open the first document, clicking her pen habitually.
“They’re so close,” she muttered. A cold, humourless smile crept onto her lips. “They will not get away so easily this time.”
She leaned towards the phone and pressed the intercom. “Get Doctor Yunho Jung. Tell him to release Heechul. He knows where to send Heechul. Also tell him to go after Subject 1. It’ll be easier to get them all if we can catch Subject 1.”
Boa leaned back in her chair and glanced down at the pictures lying in front of her. Three out of the four were still together; the fourth had separated and was now somewhere in Seoul. They had been found, nonetheless. And they would not escape.
~*~*~
After lunch was finished Junsu suddenly had something else he had to do and left, winking secretly at Jinki before he walked away. Jinki blinked, confused, but was suddenly aware that he and Key were alone. Slowly he turned to the young man, realizing that Junsu had left on purpose.
Key looked at Jinki curiously, like before, but there was a comfort in the expression. It was relaxed and calm, his unusual aqua eyes less tense. They stayed, however, alert and aware of the surroundings. Jinki pretended that didn’t bother him and he stuffed his hands in his pockets, eyes on the ground in an awkward sort of way. The two of them stood like that for a long moment, before something cool brushed Jinki’s arm and his head snapped up to see it was Key’s hand.
“I think maybe we should get going,” he said in his smooth, cool voice.
Automatically Jinki obeyed him. He let the strange young man lead him through the crowd of the mall, noting briefly that Key was still tense and his hand around Jinki’s was clammy and cold. Nonetheless Key glided effortlessly through the crowd, weaving this way and that. There was no other indication that he was worried, except for his squared shoulders.
Once outside, Key’s body relaxed. His clammy hand dropped from Jinki’s. Then he turned and smiled at Jinki, a small, yet startlingly beautiful smile. Above the clouds were grey and heavy with the prospect of rain. The wind was slightly colder and Jinki shivered involuntarily, as he was only wearing a thin sweater. Key noticed and frowned.
“I need to go back to my hotel, so you can warm up there,” he said, “it’s just right across the street. I need to grab my things and check out.”
“Where are you going?” Jinki asked as they started walking.
“I don’t know yet. Probably another hotel; I can’t really stay in one place for long.”
Jinki scrunched up his face. “Are you a criminal or something?”
Key stopped walking and he raised his eyebrows. “What would give you that impression?”
“I don’t know…you just looked so uneasy walking through the mall, and you’re look so tense and alert it’s kind of nerve-wracking. Not to mention the fact that you just said you couldn’t stay in one place for long. What kind of impression does that give you? I really don’t want to go to your hotel room if you’re going to…I don’t know kill me or, or something….”
There was a pause as they stood in the parking lot, Key’s eyebrows disappearing under his brown hair, and Jinki shivering in the cold wind, arms around himself as if to warm up. Then a chuckle escaped Key’s lips and it was so clear it sounded like a trickle of water. It caught Jinki off guard, who gasped and took a step back, eyes wide.
“Oh please, like I can commit a crime,” Key sighed, shaking his head, “I’ve seen too many crimes in my lifetime to even attempt doing something so vulgar and ridiculous. But I suppose that is a better assumption than the truth, so if that is what you want to believe I’ll let you walk away with that story. In fact, that is probably for the best. I wouldn’t want you to get involved with this anyway. It was a pleasure meeting you Jinki.”
As he turned to walk away, Jinki reached out and grabbed his arm. “Wait! Stop, I…I don’t know where that came from but I don’t believe it anyway. You possibly can’t be a killer…you just can’t. Look I’ll come with you, and I’ll be fine alright.”
Key turned to him again and this time his eyes were sullen, full of guilt and regret. Jinki’s hand slid from his arm in shock, and Key shook his head. Rain started falling; hitting their bodies gently at first and then the rain came down harder in a matter of minutes.
“You don’t want to be a part of this. I shouldn’t have suggested you come with me…it’s too dangerous. You should just forget you ever met me and live your life peacefully.”
“What are you talking about?” Jinki demanded, but nothing more could be said.
At that moment something rushed past Jinki with such speed that he stumbled back and lost his grip on the slippery pavement. As he crashed to the ground he saw Key had been tackled down, and pinned by something. No, not something, someone. Jinki scrambled to his feet as Key fought to push the person off him. He saw Jinki running towards him and his attacker and his eyes widened.
“Jinki no!” he screamed over the rain.
The person who had Key pinned froze and as if realizing Jinki was there for the first time, turned to face him. Jinki froze as well in mid-stride, his hair dripping icy water into his eyes and down his cheeks. The person was a young man, with a delicate build. He moved in a feral way, with predator movements. The only thing was the eyes. There was nothing human in those golden-yellow eyes, only a feral instinct. When he opened his mouth and growled, there were no teeth, but sharp pearly-white fangs. Jinki found his breath had been lost and he couldn’t move or gather his thoughts as he watched this predator-like man straddle Key, pinning him to the ground.
However, with the distraction, Key used his strength and managed to push the young man off him and leapt to his feet in one swift motion. The young man’s attention snapped back to his target, instantly forgetting Jinki and lunged towards him. But Key was ready this time and what Jinki saw next was the most unbelievable thing.
Key stood there calmly watching as his attacker raced towards him. His hands were by his side palms facing up, and his body was leaning forward slightly. But even from where Jinki stood he could see a deep concentration in Key’s aqua eyes, which appeared to have gone darker in a split second. So dark that they almost looked black, like a raging sea.
The attacker took no notice of this, but kept prowling around Key, looking for the perfect attack. Then he found it, paused and then lunged gracefully as a panther lunging at their prey.
Before Jinki could run forward and grab Key, a wall of misty water sprang up between him and the other two. His eyes narrowed in confusion but he pushed that away for the moment. When he tried to take a step through the wall of water, he was repelled back, and slid again on the slippery pavement. Despite the water preventing him from going forward, he had a full view of what was happening on the other side of the wall.
Key had a smaller circle of water surrounding him, and the attacker was growling angrily at it. The rain around them had turned into a weapon, darting agilely towards the attacker who leapt out of its way. It continued like that for a while, until finally exhausted, the attacker was hit squarely in the chest with an arrow of rain. He stumbled back and hit the wall of water in front of Jinki and then howled before disappearing quickly. Jinki stood there, shivering from the cold but not really feeling it. He stared wide-eyed at Key, who stepped out of the circle of water. As soon as he stepped away from it the water fell and disappeared. At the same time, the wall blocking Jinki from Key fell with a splash and Jinki stood mouth gaping.
“W-what was that?” he chattered, as Key drew closer.
Key looked worn and exhausted as well, but he did his best to show it too much. He took Jinki’s hand and began leading him towards the hotel quickly. His eyes, Jinki noticed, were the calm aqua colour as before. In fact, he looked quite comfortable in the rain, as if he belonged in it. He moved along with the water, not resisting but becoming part of it. Each step he took seemed energized and his wary face looked fuller and radiant. Jinki couldn’t believe he looked like that after looking like he was going to collapse a second ago.
“That was Heechul,” Key said suddenly, “I’ve been found out. I need to leave immediately.”
“And go where? Who’s Heechul? What do you mean you’ve been found out?” Jinki walked, stumbling slightly to keep pace with Key who was walking quickly.
“You ask too many questions. The less you know the better I think.” Key glanced down the street before leading Jinki across it. “Heechul knows you now, though, so he’ll definitely report you. I can’t just let you leave like before Jinki. You are now a part of this, whether you want to be or not.”
“What are you talking about?” Jinki demanded, but his question was never answered.
They arrived at the hotel, but Key didn’t pause in entering, brushing past the doorman and racing past the concierge desk, and didn’t stop until he hit the elevator. Then they paused and waited for the elevator to come, and it seemed such an odd and slow thing to do considering the urgency in Key’s actions. In the elevator was even worse, for the music was lazy and mundane, it seeming out of place with the whole situation. They remained silent the whole way up, but Jinki kept shooting questioning looks in Key’s direction. Whether Key ignored them or just didn’t notice them was uncertain, but he remained silent regardless.
Once they got to the floor Key’s room was on, Jinki realized just how glamorous and grand the hotel was. It wasn’t a place Jinki could afford that was for sure. But he had stayed in places like this when his mother took him and his brother on jobs outside of Seoul. Min had always booked the best she could afford.
Key’s room seemed like a large apartment, far too big for just one person alone. While Key rushed off to the room, Jinki’s eyes trailed around the sitting area of the room, taking in the big screen TV, the white leather couch, and the white shaggy carpet under the modern style coffee table. There was a mini kitchen with bar stools and a mini fridge for drinks and food. The only thing missing were the cupboards and sink. Jinki’s eyes trailed down to the pair of shoes Key had been wearing and sucked in a curse. They were brand name, highly expensive leather, crocodile styled boots, something Jinki had never dreamed of wearing. He preferred his Converse sneakers to expensive leather shoes.
Seconds later Key returned and dropped his bag on the floor to put his shoes on. Jinki watched him silently, wondering where this strange man had come from. When Key straightened he caught Jinki watching him, and sighed.
“Look, Jinki….”
“Onew. Please. I want to know what that was back there. Who was Heechul? And what the hell did you do with the rain? I can’t believe what I’m saying but you did do something to it didn’t you?”
“Jin-Onew, I….” Key looked to his left and sighed again, obviously looking for the right words to say. “I’m not just a regular human…I don’t even think I fit into the category of human…I’m not normal in any case. And the people Heechul “work” for is after me. After me and my brothers. We escaped two years ago and they’re after us again…looks like they’ve found us too.” He turned away and ran a hand through his hair, which Jinki noticed, was fairly dry. In fact, he looked almost entirely dry, even his clothes.
“Okay…so what exactly are you?” Jinki asked slowly.
“I’m assuming you’ve heard of the four elements right? Earth, air, fire and water?” Jinki nodded so Key continued. “Well, the four elements are the ones who created this world. They created the oceans, the air, the fires, the earth itself. But they aren’t just invisible forces, they’re in the form of human beings. Four young men to be exact.”
“Let me guess….” Jinki didn’t know if he wanted to say the words so he just pointed at Key, who nodded slowly.
“See, me and my brothers have been on this planet since its birth. We’ve grown with it, shaping it, keeping it alive. But then humans started evolving and then they made technology and eventually started killing the planet. I can feel it, even now-especially now-and it’s killing us as well. Without us the planet cannot survive, so we have to keep going.
“But we couldn’t keep this secret of ours under cover for long. There was an accident, lots of people got hurt and then we were caught by E-Tox, a research facility specially created for experiments on humans. For one year we were experimented on but we managed to escape. That was two years ago, and now it seems they’ve finally caught up with us…unfortunately.”
Key’s eyes were tormented, guilt-ridden and sad. There was pain in those beautiful, ancient eyes, and Jinki couldn’t help but believe every word Key spoke.
“And now you’re involved,” Key said suddenly, making Jinki jump, “god I can’t believe I did this…. No one knows about our secret. E-Tox will look to get rid of you too no doubt.”
“Look, maybe you could stay at my place for now; get your bearings together and figure something out. I’m sure you’ll be safe there.”
“That thing that attacked me, Heechul, he’s clever; the perfect hunter. He’ll know where I am, and my brothers as well. I don’t think I’ll be very safe there for long.”
“He’d looked pretty terrified of you so I don’t think we’ll have to worry about him for now,” Jinki argued, “don’t worry Key we’ll figure something out.”
“Yeah…Heechul is afraid of water.” Key’s eyes darted to the window where the rain battered relentlessly. “I guess that was pretty hard for him to be out in this weather. I think you’re right; he won’t be bothering us again for tonight at least.”
“Come on then, we should get home.”
As they were leaving, Jinki sneezed and shivered slightly. His clothes clung to him and his hair was damp and cold against his forehead. Key looked at him worriedly but Jinki shook his head and smiled.
“Don’t worry I’ll be fine,” he said assuredly, though Key didn’t look convinced.
Nonetheless he didn’t say anything as they went back to the main lobby and called for a cab. When they sat down to wait Key draped his sweater over Jinki’s quivering shoulders and rubbed them to give warmth. It soon became apparent that Jinki was not alright, and he grew quiet and still, save for the onslaught of shivers that shook his body. The cab came and Key lead Jinki out into the car quickly, the doorman thankfully holding an umbrella over them to protect them from the rain.
Once inside the car sped off down the road, Jinki muttered the address out to the driver and then rested his head against the back of the seat. Key reached over and gently rested his hand on Jinki’s forehead. It was hot. Key’s body reacted quickly to the water, absorbing it into his blood stream because he was part of it. That was why he was able to dry off quickly. But Jinki didn’t have that ability, and now he shivered with fever. He looked so young and vulnerable, curled up on the seat to attempt to stop the shivers that ran through his body. Key pulled him close and used the heat from his body to soothe Jinki.
“We’ll be there soon,” Key whispered, staring out at the rainy night. The water he created and empowered him was the cause of Jinki being sick. For some reason that hurt more than he thought it should.
The cab pulled up to Jinki’s house and Key helped him out slowly, thanking and paying the driver. Then he pulled Jinki up to the house quickly, the water hitting them making Key wince the whole way there. Finally they were standing under the veranda and Key knocked loudly on the door. There was a pause and Key wondered if anyone was going to answer when he heard the muffled sound of footsteps hurrying towards the door.
The door was opened and a flood of light hit Key. A young man was standing there looking interestedly down at the two young men, and then recognition flickered on his face.
“Onew!” he exclaimed, “what the hell happened to you?” He looked back at Key. “Who are you?”
“A friend. He’s got a fever.”
“Right, get in here. Umma, it’s Onew!”
A woman’s came closer as she spoke. “Onew? Where were you boy? Junsu called half an hour…Jinki!”
The woman rushed over to her son and placed her hands on his cheeks, gasping as the temperature hit her fingers. “Oh your fever’s so high! Come, bring him to his room. Donghae get something to bring the fever down please. Follow me dear, I’ll show you where his room is.”
Obediently Key followed the intimidating lady up the stairs, taking care with Jinki in his arms. They made it to the top and Jinki’s mother led Key to a closed door. Without hesitation she flung open the door and let Key lead Jinki in before entering herself. Gently Key eased a shivering Jinki onto the bed while his mother rummaged in his drawers for a clean pair of pyjamas.
“Here we go,” she said, hurrying over to the bed.
Key moved into a corner while the woman changed her son, and he watched as she was so gentle and motherly in her movements. When she was done she smoothed back Jinki’s hair in a loving, worried sort of way and sighed. His brother, Donghae, came in suddenly and handed his mother the cloth which she put on Jinki’s forehead. Then she brought the blankets up over his body and made sure he would stay warm. Then she stood and turned to Key, and she had a curious look in her eyes.
“Thank-you dear for helping my son,” she said solemnly, “I was getting worried when Junsu called asking if Jinki made it home alright. Thankfully he had an angel watching over him.”
“You’re welcome,” Key muttered, a little uneasily. He didn’t know who these people were-even though Jinki had told them they were his family-so he wasn’t sure he could trust them. Still he was polite and spoke when spoken too, but that was all.
Eventually his mother had to go back to doing her work, and Donghae decided that the worst was over so he went back downstairs to watch some TV. Key stood where they had left him, and he glanced down at Jinki’s trembling body. The fever still hadn’t broke, but Jinki looked a lot more comfortable and was now sleeping, though his breathing was quick and shallow. Slowly Key moved over towards the bed and crouched down. Gently he took Jinki’s hand and held it tightly, brushing a loose strand of hair out of Jinki’s eyes like he had seen the mother doing before. For the moment Key’s worry of E-Tox finding him was gone. The only thing he was worried about was Jinki getting better.