i. story by:
hydraheiressii. pairing: yunjae, yoosu
iii. genre: romance, drama, fluff, humor, highschool, fantasy, supernatural
iv. length: chaptered|series
v. rating: nc-17
vi. summary: Kim Jaejoong is a normal high school student who's respected by his schoolmates, adored by his teachers, had excellent grades, stunningly good looks and awesome friends. Yoochun, his bestfriend in particular had an unhealthy knack of going psycho over his fans, admirers and the like. Jaejoong treasured his friends and is happy with how his life is turning out. But there was always that feeling in his heart that he couldn't shake off. The feeling that somehow he knew that there was something missing in his life. It was then at that one fateful night when he crossed paths with that certain someone that Jaejoong began to understand, that his life wasn't as normal as he had initially thought it should have been.
chapter seven
Two days had passed since that night. Clean up duty was hard work. Heechul was just thankful that after a quick gathering of the Inner Circle in regards to the strong magical outburst that racked the whole region, the elders didn't seem to be persistent in drilling him with the details about Chaos' rumored defeat. Still, he couldn't help but feel like someone's eyes were constantly watching his every move. The teenager shrugged, dismissing the thought and proceeded with reading the material in his hands instead. Maybe he was just being paranoid?
Entry 16: June 18, 2000
When a person or thing is born into the world, its death has already been decided. The ability to see the fated destruction of all things is an incredibly powerful pseudo-magical effect believed to have been passed down from ‘Death’ himself. Though no real proof has been accumulated over time about the existence of an ‘Angel of Death’ living among us, however, as what we have seen from history, it has been proven that someone, a Shinso to be precise had the capability to see the destined destruction of things.
Hundreds of years ago, a great massacre took place between the Shinso and Shito race. It was said that a peace treaty between the races was to be negotiated within the Shito’s lair. However, it was found out in the end that it had been a trap. Though, the traveling Shinsos were outnumbered by a lot in this battle, Shito corpses still flooded the land. It was believed that Death’s descendant was the one responsible for the bloodbath.
Entry 22: September 14, 2001
The Shinso who were spirits by nature, lived alongside humans in peace. They were said to be immortal entities that guarded the earth from corruption and disruption ever since the creation of the world. The Shinso race valued harmony, peace, love and life. However, in contrast to their serene nature they have a need for blood to rejuvenate themselves, especially in cases of magical depletion.
Blood is life to the Shinso. Though they were able to continue on living without the supply of human blood, they get weaker over time if the magic that’s been used could not be replenished.
Entry 29: May 10, 2002
Demon Eyes of Direct Death is the ability to trace the red blood lines that extend from various points in every living thing and crawl over the body without much exertion. In doing so, said method effectively realizes the fated destruction and the victim is cut along those lines. And because this destruction is destined, this method of injury ignores any of the victim's defenses; armor, magical protection and so forth are useless.
Entry 31: February 06, 2003
While a line symbolizes "damage" along that part of the body, a dot symbolizes the totality of that body's damage, and by extension, "existence". When a dot is pierced, the victim's concept is destroyed. This method of killing is apparently absolute; it bypasses even reincarnation. As it erases existence, then by extension, Demon Eyes of Direct Death can also destroy non-physical things, such as spells, thoughts, mage, craft, and even nature.
Entry 36: August 18, 2005
Shisa (Shito’s agents) has been loitering around in various cities. In repeating their vampiric activities, it is believed that they are trying to gain more allies and overrun the human world with their numbers. However, they are fairly weak since the blood connection to the True Ancestors (the Shinso) isn’t direct unlike the Shito. Kill them on sight.
Entry 43: December 11, 2008
True form of the Shinso heir is still unknown. Though rumors may be going around about a Shinso royalty destroying Shisas and Shitos in this time and age, his or her true intentions are still questionable. If faced with the opportunity to be in contact with said Shinso, notify the elders immediately.
Entry 48: July 02, 2011
Recently discovered Shito prowling the nights has been ID’ed as ‘Chaos Immortal’. Highly powerful and dangerous and is believed to pre-date back to the Shinso/Shito massacre era. (Note: I’m going to have my revenge no matter what!)
“Young Master Heechul, one of your friends has woken up and wants to speak with you.” a voice was heard by the bedroom door. Heechul flipped the journal shut, heaving himself off the study table and exited his room. Once he was outside, he was immediately met with Yunho’s weakened gaze. Heechul nodded his head at the elderly servant, telling him that they needed to be alone. A short bow was given to him in return.
The young man retraced his steps and went back inside the darkened room while Yunho followed suit. Flopping on the nearest couch, Heechul gestured at the empty seat opposite of him. Yunho let out a soft breath and did what he was told. The Shinso prince still appeared to be a bit dazed but seeing as he was already able to stand on both feet, Heechul figured that the other man was on the way of steadily getting better.
“Heechul.” Yunho began, voice sounding like deep parchment as he gazed expectantly at him. “What…happened?”
“Aside from the fact that you nearly got yourself killed? Why didn’t you tell me first hand about the plan?”
Yunho rested a hand on his head, groaning. “There…was no time for explanations... Did you get him?”
Heechul was silent for a moment until said yes. A small smile ghosted Yunho’s lips at the confirmation.
“Dead man’s blood could have killed you.” Heechul pointed out. Yunho’s writhing body remained at the forefront of his mind. He had been scared to death just thinking about the other man dying because of his incapacity.
Yunho shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ve experienced worse concentrations of dead man’s blood in the past.”
Heechul pinched the bridge of his nose. “I still think that what you did was stupid.” he paused, his voice taking on a hard tone. “But let’s just be thankful that your new friends readily offered their blood for you.”
Yunho’s shoulders instantly tensed, eyes widening at his words. “What?!”
“You didn’t feed on them.” Heechul replied, lips pursed. “I did a blood transfusion and for some reason they were aware of what you needed.” he paused, closing his eyes as he recalled how their eyes had glowed for a moment. “I thought I was done for, Jaejoong-sshi went straight at me with the intention to kill. He was…he wasn’t himself. But then Yoochun suddenly jumped right in front and shielded me from the attack. Your husband kept swinging and slashing at everything and everyone. It was…frightening. I never thought he’d be that frightening!” Heechul's voice had taken on a frantic tremor remembering the raw fear that had gripped him whole. When Yunho didn't make a sound, Heechul's gaze darted back at him. The Shinso prince’s face was buried in his hands. “Yunho-sshi.”
“Dammit!” Yunho cursed under his breath. This was what he had been dreading about ever since the day he realized that the friends surrounding Jaejoong were his friends and his brother's reincarnated forms.
He had been happy at first, being able to see them again after all these years. But Yoochun had hated him on sight while Junsu and Changmin didn't trust him. He felt their cold looks and stares, the animosity and the cautiousness whenever he was around, making him feel like he didn't belong.
It was almost funny how the universe loved to screw him over.
All the plans he had made, of blending in once he found Jaejoong and spending every waking moment of a normal life together with him, there was no chance of it ever happening anytime soon. And he didn’t really think he’d be able to see his brother and his childhood friend’s at all. But then again when he thought about it, he figured that their spirits must have recognized each other while at wait.
But shit! He thought he’d be able to face the situation head on, but he couldn’t.
The four of them were living a normal life now. They were good friends. They were happy. Jaejoong didn’t have to be plagued with the constant guilt of needing to feed. He was loved and admired by their teachers and fellow students. Yoochun and Junsu finally got together. God knows just how much his brother loved him when they were kids. Changmin wasn’t pressured into meeting a nice girl just for the sake of family relations. And Yunho just had to come into the picture and ruined everything. He had single-handedly dragged them back into the pits of hell.
A gentle hand landed on his shoulder, shaking him. “Yunho-sshi?”
Yunho lifted his head, his eyes misting with tears. And if what Heechul was saying was true, Yunho didn’t think he’d be able to face Jaejoong at all. Because not only did he turn him into the thing he hated the most, he hadn’t been able to save their son. After all these years, the pain of loosing them both still cut deep within his heart.
Flashback
When Yunho went back to the waking world, it was Jaejoong’s tear stained cheeks that met his gaze. For a moment he felt relief, thinking that they both survived the attack. But then Jaejoong went limp and fell in his arms.
'I’m sorry Yunnie. I thought… I could do it. But... it wasn’t enough.'
Those were the last words that were uttered past his husband’s lips as he choked and coughed up blood until his last breath left him. For days on end, Yunho did nothing but cry and plead for Jaejoong to wake up.
But his eyes had remained close.
On the night when the east wind traveled with the southern skies, finally Yunho stood up on his feet, carrying his dead husband in his arms, the reminder of his son filling his broken heart. Jaejoong might be gone but their child was still there. And he wasn’t going to leave him. He was going to stay with him and be there as he grows up.
Jaejoong would want that. He would be happy with that.
And so with these in his thoughts, Yunho began the long journey back home.
However, when he arrived in their kingdom, everything was in ruins. Later on, he found out from the survivors that the Shitos had crossed the border and attacked everyone in the land. His family included.
The king and the queen.
His son.
Spirits consumed and devoured. Never to return again.
The negotiation was a decoy. The Shito’s true intentions had been to eat them and take their powers for their own. For some reason they knew that Jaejoong had to be away from their landm separated from their kind in order for their plan to work. Because Jaejoong was special. There was something in him that the Shitos feared.
But he gave his life to save him. And then now...
Yunho fell to his knees and wept for months.
What was the use of being immortal? It was useless in a war.
Just then Jaejoong’s face flashed through his thoughts. A new sense of hope blossomed in his heart. He was going to send his spirit into the human realm. He still had the chance of seeing him again. Jaejoong would be reincarnated and even if it would take years, he would wait for him. He would wait.
After much egging from the Higher Council, it had been decided. The Shinso land would be cut off from everything else. The gate to the kingdom would be locked. No one would be able to get out and no one would be able to get in. It would be the best step to take. This war started because they couldn’t control their desires. What better way to prevent it from happening again than keeping everyone in? One cannot fight their nature. Yunho was sure that it would only take a few years and his fellow Shinsos would succumb back to the joys of tasting human blood.
It was inevitable.
But Yunho couldn't let a repeat of the war to happen ever again. The Shinso prince left that place to make amends for their mistakes with the hope in his heart to see his beloved once more.
End Flashback
Heechul ran soothing circles across Yunho's back as he heaved out deep shuddering breaths in an attempt to calm down. He just… couldn’t possibly face Jaejoong right now. He thought he’d be able to handle it when faced with the situation, but he still wasn’t strong enough. He was scared. Because deep inside…he hated him, hated Jaejoong so much for doing the things he did, for leaving him alone, for putting him in this misery for the last 900 years.
For not being there when he needed him the most.
He just wasn’t there.
But God, he couldn’t possibly imagine his life without him. As much as he wanted to leave, he knew he couldn’t, wouldn’t. Tears flooded Yunho’s vision as he fought choked sobs that threatened to escape his lips.
The old scars of his past were opening right before his eyes. He couldn’t deal with this right now.Hauling himself off the chair, Yunho quickly walked towards the bedroom door and snatched at the doorknob, swinging it wide open. He needed to get out of there. Yunho went down the stairs and turned a corner.
He needed to think. He needed to be left alone. He needed…
“Yunho-yah.” Jaejoong’s voice filled his ears. He looked up and their gazes met. Firm recognition could be seen in the other's eyes. “I’m sorry.” Jaejoong mumbled brokenly as he took slow steps towards him. Yunho stood frozen in place, until the smaller man’s fingers gently brushed against his cheeks, his own pair of onyx orbs welling up.
He wanted to hit him, wanted to slap him, punch him, yell at him, fucking shout at him for being a selfish bastard, make him feel the guilt, make him realize how much pain he had put him through. He wanted to hurt him, god he wanted to hurt him so bad. But instead, Yunho’s arms closed around Jaejoong’s body, taking him along as he slumped against the nearest wall. Jaejoong went down willingly with him to the floor, muttering apologies under his breath and Yunho just didn’t find it in himself to stop the tears from falling any longer.
Words didn't need to be said. For minutes they sat on the soft carpet, arms locked around each other, tears rolling down their cheeks as they showered each other with soft kisses, needing the reassurance of the other's presence they never wanted to let go. Minute passed and soon with their tears drying up, they fell into deep slumber.
“Moonbin!” Seul Gi’s voice resounded inside the entire Bae household.
The young boy cringe, reflexively hauling himself from his bed as he began piling and stacking up the materials on his sheets, placing them in a rectangular box and quickly shoving it under his bed. The door to his bedroom burst wide open. Moonbin whirled around, instantly targeting his cousin with a full-blown angelic smile.
“You.” The intimidating teenage girl scowled, pointing an accusing finger at the boy’s face. “Give it back Binnie.”
“What’d I do?” Moonbin asked blinking, tilting his head a little to the side, the picture of perfect innocence.
“You took my favorite Jaejoong-sshi picture. The one I took of him last year at the school annual festival.”
Moonbin gasped, regarding her with an incredulous look, clutching a hand to his chest in a dramatic fashion. “Noona, how could you even think that I would be capable of doing such a thing?”
Seul Gi’s eyes narrowed. “Binnie. You know as well as I do that it has been a proven fact that you’ve developed a disturbing obsession with my future husband ever since you saw his picture in my photo albums.”
The boy scowled. “Don’t you mean your stalker collections?”
“Binnie!” Seul Gi’s lower lip was seriously starting to jut out.
“I didn’t take anything woman, geez! Give me a break will you? And he’s not your future husband. God!” Moonbin retorted heatedly, crossing his arms against his chest, lips pursed as he slunk back on his bed.
Why does she keep on insisting that she was going to end up getting married with Jaejoong-hyung in the future anyway? It really infuriates him whenever he gets reminded about it. But then again, why did he care?
Moonbin stifled a yawn.
Seul Gi would have wanted to retort something in return but then noticing the dark circles around her cousin’s eyes, it was enough to melt her resolve. She could always drill him about the picture’s whereabouts at any time of the day. She sighed and squatted in front him. “Binnie? Are you still having the nightmares about Auntie and Uncle?”
Moonbin cocked his head back, rubbing a hand at his eyelids. “Oh wow, you’re not gonna pester me about the pictures anymore?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
That earned him a light whack in the head. “Hey, I’m being nice here.” Seul Gi chastised.
The young boy half-glared, looking appalled. “That was nice?” He exclaimed, hand instinctively massaging at the sore spot. “I think you just managed to kill half of my brain cells.”
“Are you still having the nightmares or not?” Seul Gi asked again, worried. “You don’t look too well Binnie.”
Moonbin held up a hand at her in dismissal. “I’m fine. I’m alright. The nightmares are gone noona. I’m just having a hard time sleeping lately, that’s all. Must be from all the school stuff my brains’ forced to absorb.”
Seul Gi frowned. “Why do you always do that?”
“What?”
“Close off. Whenever I try to talk about-”
“Noona! Umma and Appa are gone and I’ve learned to deal! I don’t wanna talk about the accident because I hate being reminded of it. So please, just stop trying to get into my case. I’m fine. Seriously, I’m fine!”
“But you still space out a lot. You know how worried Appa gets whenever you walk off to God knows where.”
Moonbin shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. “I just have a lot of things on my mind.” he said, shrugging as he held his cousin’s hand and gestured at the door. “Now if you don’t mind. I have to sleep.”
Seul Gi raised an inquisitive eyebrow. She wasn’t through drilling him yet. “So… where’s the picture?”
“Oh God, I hate you!” Moonbin groused, jerking his hand away from her cousin’s grip and buried his face on the bed face first. “Leave me alone. I didn’t take your damn picture!” he mumbled under the covers.
For a while silence filled his ears then a defeated sigh was heard followed by the soft clicking of the latch by the door. Moonbin slowly craned his neck to the side, quickly jumping out of bed the instant he was positive that the walking annoyance wasn’t around any longer. He approached the door and placed the needed locks in securing his bedroom. Walking back towards his bed, Moonbin crouched low and reached out a hand towards the box he had hastily shoved underneath. Upon feeling it in his grasp, the young boy closed his fingers around the material and pulled it out. He stood on both feet and deposited the box on the covers. A wide smile grazed his lips as he took the lid off and held the questioned picture in his hands. Heh! There was no way he was going to give this back.
Jaejoong-hyung looked real awesome in his Prince attire, Moonbin dreamily thought. The young boy had been at their high school during the festival from last year and he had seen him firsthand while he acted out in the play.
Jaejoong-hyung was... perfect. And the way his eyes in the picture seemed to peer straight into his soul - it always made him feel a strange sense of peacefulness, protection and comfort. The very thought of Jaejoong made him feel safe. It really upsets him though, the way those stupid girls flocked around him like they had any right.
"I know you're there Siwon. I've been sensing your eyes on me for the past three days so there's no point in hiding." Heechul barked at the empty space in front of him, face morphed into the perfect look of annoyance.
"Why do you insist on helping that creature Heechul ah?" Came a gruff voice from the shadows, revealing a young man that appeared to be in his teens from the darkness.
Heechul met his stare head on. "He saved my life. That should be reason enough."
"He's a threat to you and everyone else."
Heechul's eyes flickered towards the room where Yunho was currently staying. The guy had practically sacrificed himself so that he'd be able to take his revenge. Why did the Church have to constantly even think of him as nothing more than a monster? "Don't tell me what he is and what he's not."
"Humans are food to his kind." Siwon pointed out.
"He saved me when no one else did." Heechul retorted. "Umma and Appa were loyal soldiers of the Church but did the precious organization do anything when Chaos attacked us?" When Siwon didn't answer, he continued. "No, they didn't do anything because they knew their limits and they feared for their lives. It was better that my parents died than have anyone risk the chance of getting killed as well." Heechul's voice dropped a note lower. "But Yunho-sshi... he was there. He still helped me even if Umma and Appa tried to capture him at one point."
Siwon gazed at him for what seemed like eternity until he reached out a hand and tipped Heechul's chin upwards. "That still doesn't change the fact that Shito were born because of the Shinso. They can't fight their nature Chullie. Sooner or later he's going to turn on you and then you won't be nothing else other than food."
"He won't turn on me." Heechul defended.
"I still don't trust him." Siwon mumbled and wrapped an arm around the smaller man's waist. "He just better make sure that he doesn't dare lay a finger on you or I'm going to kill him myself. I don't care how strong he is, I'm going to end his miserable existence." He said, voice laced with possessiveness.
Heechul's eyes widened, feeling a lump stuck in his throat. "What are you..."
"The Church will be sending more spies in a little while." Siwon said, gripping Heechul's waist tighter as he brought their faces closer. "If you're so adamant to keep him safe then make sure that you don't get caught."
Heechul seriously couldn't breathe. Siwon was ripping the oxygen out of his lungs for Christ's sakes. They were so close. Too close. Their breaths were practically mingling. "I...I won't." He managed to rasp out.
Siwon's lips etched into a smile and before Heechul had the time to react, Siwon had claimed his mouth in a kiss.
But it ended as soon as it happened. Siwon's arm left it's hold on Heechul's waist and disappeared into the darkness. And the young sorcerer could only stare blindly in the shadows, fingers resting on his lips.
After moments of seemingly endless gazing at his husband’s sleeping figure on the soft white covers, Yunho finally made up his mind. Whether he liked it or not, he had to hunt for them both. He figured that now was the best time more than ever to start taking both of their well-beings into consideration. Jaejoong’s spirit should have been on the way to it's slow yet steady recovery but given the situation that had happened three nights ago, the damage done to his spirit just got worse. Yunho could feel it. The shock of Jaejoong getting his memories back along with the magical outburst that he had no control over had considerably weakened the Shinso heir.
All too suddenly, Heechul's words rang in his thoughts.
Yunho developed the strongest urge to slam his head repeatedly against hard concrete. The kid was right. What he did back there? That was all levels of epic stupidity. He could have died for real! And dammit. He wasn't going to put his own life on the line in the name of battle ever again. He did not spend nine hundred years trying to clean up the mess that their race had started, while relentlessly hoping to cross paths with Jaejoong again to just throw his life away when they’ve finally gotten together. Seriously, he needed a break. And it wasn’t like the Church ever acknowledged his help in destroying Shisa and Shitos anyway.
Fuck it! Why should he still care on the first place? He had been forced to endure nine hundreds years of living in misery, guilt, loneliness, constant injuries, magical dehydration and all kinds of shitty things already.
Surely, he had done more than his fair share!
Reaching out a hand to Jaejoong’s smooth cheeks, Yunho leaned down and brushed his lips against the other’s half-parted ones for a short, gentle kiss putting extra caution to his movement as to not disturb Jaejoong from his peaceful slumber. Standing up, Yunho walked to the door and gently pulled it open as he slipped through the small gap. He had to start early for his hunt that night if he wanted to have enough supply for them both.
“Are you going out?”
Yunho craned his neck. Heechul was leaning against the wall to his right with his arms crossed against his chest, legs crossed, head tilted a little as he regarded him with an inquisitive look.
Yunho turned the knob and released it before digging both hands into his pockets as he let out a short sigh. “He's going to need my blood by morning. I don’t have enough for myself as it is and my body’s still trying to fight off the poison in my system as we speak. The amount that my brother and friends had offered is far from enough.”
Heechul pulled himself off from his position on the wall, unfolding his arms and legs in the process. “A friend of mine has informed me that there have been rumors in the organization of me being in contact with a Shinso. I’ve been sensing various pairs of eyes in the darkness watching the mansion since last night. I think it’s sufficed to say that I’m being spied on. ” The teenager paused, eyebrows furrowed in wonder. “Are you able to teleport?”
Yunho’s hand instinctively closed around his side. “Yes, but it’s going to take a toll on my injuries.”
“Just endure the pain. It would be best if you teleported out of here, that way they won’t be able to follow you. This place is shielded, they won’t be able to sense your magical release if you decide to leave through teleportation.”
“Thank you.”
Heechul stared. “For what?”
“I had thought that once you were able to take your revenge, you’d be more than willing to get rid of me and hand me to the Church in a silver platter.” A smile ghosted Yunho’s lips. “it's a pleasant surprise to know I was wrong.”
“Don’t you dare go mushy on me or I’m going to hurt you.” The teenager threatened but a smile was on his lips.
Yunho’s face fell. Heechul gazed at him in mild concern. “Hey, I was just joking about hurting you.”
“I don’t want this life anymore Chul.” Yunho stated bleakly. “I’m tired of doing clean up work. I’m tired of constantly engaging in battles. I just want to spend the rest of my days with my family. I want to live a normal human life. No war to destroy everything. I want to live with a life with my parents, with my husband, with my friends in peace.” Yunho paused, hands balling into fists and added in a mere whisper. "I want my son back more than anything."
The source of Yunho’s greatest pain quickly dawned on Heechul. “You… haven’t told him yet.”
“I don’t know how to.” Yunho replied, voice on the verge of breaking, tears stinging his eyes. “I failed as a husband. I failed as a father. How do I tell him that our son’s dead? That I wasn’t able to do a damn thing about it? I couldn’t save him." Yunho fell to his knees, tears falling like bullets on the floor. "I couldn’t save them both."
Heechul was instantly by his side, rubbing his back in an attempt to calm him down. However, the body beneath his fingers began to tremble as flurry of words continued to sprang out from his lips. "I couldn’t save anyone. How do I tell him that they’re all dead? That our parents and our son couldn’t be given a second chance at life because their spirits have been devoured. That there was not a chance at reincarnation because there’s no spirit left to reincarnate anymore! How do I tell him that huh?!" He sobbed. "I just... don't know what to do when I face him.”
Yunho had been dangerously reaching his limit for the past couple of years. And now, he finally met his breaking point. Heechul didn't utter a word. He knew he didn't have the answers, didn't know what the right things to say. The held him tighter as Yunho poured his heart out.. All Heechul could do right that instant was to be a friend and offer a shoulder to cry on, to support this Shinso that had crept into his life and had somehow became a brother.
He wished, he really did, for things to turn out for the better in the future.
Jaejoong felt a searing pain coil tightly around his heart and it wasn't until he had blearily stood up from the bed, wondering where he was and approached the door that he understood the sharp stabbing pang in his chest.
Yunho's pain had roused him from his sleep.
The raven-haired teen stood frozen in his tracks as Yunho's broken and sobbing voice floated from the other side.
Jaejoong listened to every single word that was uttered past his husband's lips.
Slumping against the bedroom door with his face buried in his folded arms, Jaejoong mourned and wept in silence.
"I have to go." Yunho said as he pulled back from the embrace and wiped the tears in his eyes.
Heechul shot him with a worried look. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
Yunho nodded, avoiding the other's stare while taking in calming breaths. "I'll be fine."
"Be careful."
"I will." Yunho replied and stood on both feet. "Look after them for me."
And with that he was gone.
Next --
A/N: Might post the chapter eight to "Female Highschool Undercover" by tomorrow or on Wednesday. =) Thank you for the continued support minna! I love you all so much!