Life in Purgatory ch 32
Title: Life in Purgatory
Chapter: 32/40
Rating: R
Pairing: KyuJong/YoungSaeng, HyunJoong/JongWoon, JungMin/Zhou Mi, Kevin/KiBum, HeeChul/SiWon
Crossover: Super Junior, DBSK
Genre: Angst, AU,
Summary: Society is crumbling; salvation walks the earth once more.
Waking up when something hit his arm, JungMin stirred and grumbled a little as he cracked his eyes open to see what it was. First seeing the phone, then Zhou Mi, his eyes widened before he sat up, rubbing at his eyes to clear the sleep from them. "Mi? What's wrong?"
Zhou Mi didn't want to respond, just shaking his head a little as he wiped at his eyes. "I... I don't want to tell you," he said, looking up at JungMin with red eyes and tear stained cheeks. If anything, looking at JungMin's worried face just made it worse and his whole face crumpled in together as he started to bawl again.
Well, that woke JungMin up. "Hey, hey," he sat up properly, scooting next to Zhou Mi and wrapping his arms around the Chinese man's waist, hugging him tightly. "What's up Mi," he asked, kissing Zhou Mi's temple. "You can tell me, what's wrong?" He rocked the other man back and forth slowly.
It took a good few minutes before Zhou Mi had cried himself out and he was able to speak again, pulling away from JungMin's arms to look at him again. "Saeng... he just called," he hiccuped a little. "The dreams... are real. HyunJoong's dream came true yesterday... the attack... that was his dream."
"It was?" JungMin blinked, frowning. "Okay...so they're like, visions of what's going to happen?" It didn't sound that bad to him. "Then that gives us time to prepare, right? If we know what's going to happen? Isn't that a good thing?"
"No... it's not a good thing," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head slowly. "In my dream... I watch you die, right before they slit my throat." He hadn't told a single person about what was in his dreams, not even HyungJoon.
JungMin's eyes widened as he took that in. "You dreamed of us dying?" So that was why Zhou Mi was sobbing his heart out. "Mi..." He wrapped his arms tightly around the other man, kissing the top of his head.
"I don't want you to die," Zhou Mi said, burying his nose against JungMin's neck. "The dreams can't be real... they just can't."
Closing his eyes, JungMin ran his hand along Zhou Mi's bare back, breathing in deeply. "We're not going to let it happen," he murmured, voice strong. "Even if they're real, they're not set in stone. Remember, HyunJoong and JongWoon didn't know that's what the dreams were. We know now, and now that we do, we can make sure it isn't going to happen. Neither of us are going to die."
Zhou Mi wanted to believe him, with every fiber of his being he wanted to hold onto those words and use them like a shield. Even if he knew better, even if there was a tiny voice in the back of his mind that he knew what the truth was, he gave in to that belief and nodded. "Right," he whispered, his arms finding their way around JungMin's neck as he pulled back. "We're not going to die," he said, smiling softly at the man.
"Got that right," JungMin smiled back at him, kissing him. "And we're going to kick some horsemen ass while we're at it." He flopped back onto his back, dragging Zhou Mi down with him.
Squeaking a little at being pulled down, Zhou Mi stretched out his frame over JungMin, using his body as a pillow. "Yes we will," he said with a smile, leaning in to kiss him gently. "They won't be able to touch us," he murmured, running his fingers up JungMin's chest.
"Not a snowball's chance in Hell," JungMin chuckled, kissing him back and trailing his hands along the other man's back. Deciding to distract his boyfriend's thoughts and keep them far, far away from the horsemen, he flipped them both over and attacked the professor with sloppy kisses.
Zhou Mi was definitely not complaining, taking any kind of distraction he could get; it just so happened this was the best kind of distraction. He heard his cell phone go off again, but ignored it, not needing any more bad news in the already stressful morning.
Later, with JungMin collapsed against his chest and his breathing slowly evening back out, he recalled what YoungSaeng had also said. "They're going to go meet with YunHo today... maybe we should go with," he said softly, playing with a bit of the man's hair.
"Hm?" JungMin tilted his head slightly to brush his nose against Zhou Mi's neck. "If that's what you want, then sure, let's go. Who knows, maybe we'll get a straight answer this time around."
"Maybe," Zhou Mi hummed, closing his eyes at that. "I still can't believe it... that YunHo was the angel the whole time. I almost nearly asked him out too."
"I wonder how that would have worked out," JungMin rolled his eyes, kissing Zhou Mi's neck. "He's which one again? I couldn't make heads or tails of most of their explanations."
"He's... mmm... Gabriel, I think," Zhou Mi said. "It's hard to concentrate with you doing that."
"So? You want me to stop?" JungMin continued to trail soft kisses along Zhou Mi's skin. "Oh right, that woman angel said he was 'throwing us clues', he's the guide?"
"Didn't say stop, just making an observation," Zhou Mi said, his lips curling upwards into a smile. "Yes.. that's what she said... I don't know what clues she was talking about though. He just helped me find books... oh. The books!" His eyes opened and he looked up at the ceiling. "It wasn't an accident then, when that book got mixed in with my things.. or the book he gave me on revelations... He also kept telling me to go down to the downtown library. Though I don't know if that was a clue, he kept telling me to go out and have fun too, that doesn't seem very angel like."
"Well...you did meet me in a club," JungMin chuckled, tilting his head to look up at Zhou Mi. "Did he tell you anything else that you can remember?"
Zhou Mi blinked and looked down at him. YunHo had pushed him to go out to meet JungMin? It made sense, though it was a little disheartening that Zhou Mi hadn't met his opposite on his own like he had thought. "Um... No, not that I can remember. We mostly just chatted about books... well he chatted, I think I flirted more than anything."
"Glad to know I have you all to myself now," JungMin chuckled. "Maybe we'll get more answers this time around. Being friends with him might help him tell you more."
"It might, but would we really be considered friends? What if he doesn't like me and was just being nice because he had to?" Zhou Mi pouted.
"Aren't angels supposed to like everyone?" the redhead rolled his eyes, poking Zhou Mi's side. "Plus who wouldn't like you, that's impossible."
"I'm a math professor remember? Three quarters of my students despise me," Zhou Mi chuckled, wiggling away from the pokes. "You're just biased."
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," JungMin grinned, attacking Zhou Mi with tickles and kisses.
Zhou Mi shrieked, the sounds muffled by the kisses and his arms flailed helplessly in trying to push JungMin off. The downside in Zhou Mi's wiry frame meant he had zero muscle and JungMin seemed to be all muscle. Especially those thick thighs Zhou Mi loved to sit on. Okay, so what if JungMin was biased, so was he. "Min," he whined breathlessly. This wasn't going to get them out of bed any time soon if he kept that up.
Snickering, JungMin stopped his attack after a moment, grinning down at Zhou Mi. "What was that? I can't hear you." He missed seeing Zhou Mi happy, he had been so distracted lately, and there were shadows under his eyes that wouldn't leave. JungMin didn't know what was going in inside his boyfriend's head, but it seemed to be driving him towards hysteria and paranoia. Well, not if JungMin could help it.
Smiling warmly up at JungMin, Zhou Mi reached up an arm to hook his elbow around JungMin's neck. "If you don't stop, I'm going to hold you prisoner here in this bed until you apologize, and then we would have wasted a whole morning and afternoon," he said, tracing a finger from his other hand down JungMin's neck and chest.
"It would take longer than that," JungMin chuckled, shivering at the finger against his skin. "And as tempting as it sounds, I think we're supposed to be meeting someone." He caught the wandering hand and kissed Zhou Mi's fingertips.
"Yes, we do," Zhou Mi said, leaning up to kiss JungMin lightly. "And I think I freaked out YoungSaeng, I'll be surprised if they don't show up to beat down our door."
"Might want to call him then, and also find out where we're meeting them and when," JungMin said, returning the kiss. "I'll be in the shower if you want to join me," he grinned, shifting off of the other man and standing.
"See you in a bit," Zhou Mi said with a grin as he sat up. Searching through the blankets, he found his phone and turned it on, blinking at the number of missed calls. He thought he'd only heard it ring once. Sighing a little, he dialed YoungSaeng's number and listened to it ring.
YoungSaeng picked up right away. "Mi! What's going on, are you okay?!"
"Yes, I'm fine," Zhou Mi said with a soft laugh. "I'm sorry, I just freaked out over hearing that but I'm okay now. Where are you heading to go meet YunHo? The library?"
"...Yeah, we are," YoungSaeng sighed softly. "Thank God you're okay, you scared the hell out of us. I called HyungJoon when I couldn't reach you, might want to reach him too."
"... I'll do that right away," Zhou Mi said, sighing inwardly. HyungJoon would be on his way here though if he knew his best friend. Unless he was distracted. "JungMin and I will meet you at the library then."
"Okay, we'll see you there soon," YoungSaeng said, just as there was a loud knock on the front door.
"... Well I wonder who that could be," Zhou Mi sighed, turning off his phone. Gathering up his clothes, he pulled on enough to look presentable and went to the door, opening it and looking out with a frown. "I'm fine."
HyungJoon wasn't alone, SooHyun right behind him. "Mi, what's going on?" his best friend asked, eyes wide. "YoungSaeng called saying that you said something about us all dying and hung up on him, and wouldn't pick up the phone again."
"No, not all of us dying, just me and JungMin," Zhou Mi said, leaning up against the door frame. "I'm fine, it was just a moment of freaking out, that's all. I had just woken up and was on edge. I already called YoungSaeng and apologized, told him I'm fine. Which I am."
"You sure?" HyungJoon looked at him in worry. He wasn't completely oblivious, and he knew how on edge and paranoid Zhou Mi had been getting lately.
"Yes, I'm absolutely fine," Zhou Mi assured him. "JungMin calmed me down, and I feel a lot better now. Speaking of which, he's waiting for me in the shower, we have places to be soon... are you going with the others to find YunHo and talk to him?"
"Going to see YunHo?" HyungJoon blinked. "I didn't hear about this. Why are we going to see YunHo?"
"To see if we can get some answers, about the dreams," Zhou Mi said, tilting his head slightly. "Did YoungSaeng say why he had called me in the first place?"
"Not really, no, well I kind of hurried off the phone to see if I could reach you," HyungJoon rubbed the back of his head a little. "But if you're okay, then that's good. I guess we'll go meet you guys at the library."
"Yeah... come here for a second," Zhou Mi said, taking HyungJoon by the arm and pulling him into a tight hug. "Thank you for being worried about me," he whispered into his best friend's ear. "And hey... you rushed somewhere."
Hugging Zhou Mi back just as tight, HyungJoon pouted at him. "I know what you're thinking, and I would have rushed to make sure you're okay even without Diligence. You're my best friend, Mi, and you worry me way too often."
"I worry you?" Zhou Mi blinked, pulling back a little to look into HyungJoon's eyes, a hint of an amused smile on his lips. "How could I possibly worry you? Aren't I the responsible one?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you don't scare me every now and then, like today," HyungJoon poked Zhou Mi in the stomach. "I'm allowed to worry about you."
"There's nothing to worry about, I'm fine, I have JungMin," Zhou Mi said, poking him right back before leaning in to whisper again. "So, how was your first night with him?"
HyungJoon turned bright red. "We just had coffee, that's it," he huffed, squirming uncomfortably. "And he invited me back to his place because it was getting late, but just for sleeping, not your version of sleeping."
"Oh... I see," Zhou Mi nodded slowly, looking over at SooHyun who seemed to be very interested in a speck on the ceiling. "At least he's cute right? Well, I can get details later, I have to go, so do you, I'll see you at the library?" he said, pushing HyungJoon back out the door.
"Uh, yeah," HyungJoon staggered a little when he was pushed, elbowing Zhou Mi back before stepping out. "See you both there."
"Mhm! Nice seeing you again SooHyun!" Zhou Mi said, waving before he closed the door in their faces.
"He seems... high strung," SooHyun said, hands in his pockets.
"That's Zhou Mi for you," HyungJoon said, stepping away from the door. "Though he's high strung even for him lately. At least he's okay." He turned back to SooHyun, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "Thanks for coming here with me...if you had other plans for the morning, I'm sorry."
"Well, my plans had involved studying, but after the 'gas explosion' at the library, they've got it shut down," SooHyun said. "I've got nowhere else to be, and I kind of like being around you."
"Why were you going to study?" HyungJoon blinked at him, starting towards the elevator slowly. "Isn't it winter break for you right now?"
"Yes, but just because it's break doesn't mean I can continue to study," SooHyun said. "I haven't stayed at the top of my class because I'm a genius, a lot of hard work and studying has gone into it. You said you're in school, don't you have a study routine?"
HyungJoon blinked at SooHyun repeatedly at that, expression lost. "Uh...not really...I'm Sloth, study isn't exactly my forte." He looked away, not wanting to say he would have graduated a couple years ago if he hadn't failed several classes.
"Oh... well if you need help studying I'm sure I can come up with a schedule for you, I like making schedules," SooHyun said, grinning brightly at him. "Where are we going now?"
HyungJoon gave a slightly nervous and strained smiled in return. Well, he was screwed. "Zhou Mi said he and the others are going to go to the library at our school, to talk to the librarian there...YunHo, one of the angels we saw yesterday."
"Ah yes... angels," SooHyun frowned slightly, shaking his head. He was still trying to come to grips with all of the information he'd been told, though it made sense in a weird way. "Why are we going to see the angel?"
"To see if he could answer some of their questions about weird nightmares they've been having," HyungJoon said. "I'm not clear on the details, but we'll probably hear more about it when we get there. How are you taking all this?" he looked at the other man.
"Nightmares?" SooHyun's expression dimmed, and his tone became serious, ignoring the question. "What was that about nightmares, what kind of nightmares?"
"Well...I've only heard bits and pieces of the others nightmares, and none of Zhou Mi's," HyungJoon frowned slightly. "He's been having them for months though, almost since we found out who we are. YoungSaeng gets them too, and HyunJoong. In both their nightmares they seem to be getting attacked."
"Attacked by the horsemen... right?" SooHyun said quietly, looking down at the ground. "Yeah... I've been having nightmares too, for a while now."
"...Oh," HyungJoon bit on his lower lip. Well...there was their theory that only one out of the pair got the nightmares. "Do you remember what happens?"
"Not...really. It's dark, and there's someone standing over us," SooHyun said, shaking his head. "That's all I can remember. "It kind of fades really quick after I wake up. I don't like thinking about it."
"Well, maybe we'll figure out today what it's all about," HyungJoon tried for a reassuring smile. "It's worth a try."
"Maybe... you think my nightmare is the same that Zhou Mi and the others have been having?" SooHyun asked, looking up at him.
"Same source, I don't think it would be the same exact scene, from what I heard HyunJoong and YoungSaeng were dreaming of different things," HyungJoon said, lips pursed slightly as he thought. "The question is, why are the nightmares coming up? Is it the horsemen trying to scare us?"
"I guess that's something we're going to be asking the angel, hm?" SooHyun said, tilting his head slightly. "But it sounds like a reasonable theory."
"It's the best any of us can come up with...even though we know a lot more now than when Zhou Mi and I first started all this, we're still in the dark about a lot, and it's frustrating." They were back on the main floor by then, HyungJoon heading for the door.
"You said that you were all doing a great deal of research before," SooHyun said, following HyungJoon out onto the sidewalk. "From a studious standpoint, that seems to be the best course of action, but it's a greater probablility that there is nothing to research at all. Like how you said when you we meet each other, we just know, with that feeling, that chest pain and a ringing sound. What if the entire point is that you're supposed to remain in the dark until it's necessary to bring us into the light?"
HyungJoon looked at SooHyun helplessly. "...Don't tell Zhou Mi that, he's been bending over backwards finding books to research. But I like the idea of waiting for something bad to happen even less than I like studying. If we really don't have any protection against those four horsemen anymore, they could come after us at any time and we'd be useless."
"But HyunJoong and JongWoon proved that you're not useless," SooHyun said in confusion. "They didn't know what to do, but they figured it out when they needed to the most. Doesn't that say anything to what is to come?"
"Maybe...but Death was weak to begin with, we don't know if that would happen again," HyungJoon's shoulders hunched a little as he stepped outside. "Maybe Mi's paranoia is rubbing off on me...but I don't want to cross my fingers and hope whatever they did will happen again."
"No, I wouldn't suggest anyone do that either," SooHyun said with a sigh. "But.. it's something to think about, and maybe ask the angel a little more. He might let something slip."
"Maybe," HyungJoon nodded. "The best we can do right now is keep asking questions. And avoid going anywhere alone."
"I go where you go," SooHyun said, hesitantly reaching over to take HyungJoon's hand. "This feels... natural."
Blinking, HyungJoon flushed and looked down at their hands. There had been several comments of him being asexual over the years, since he didn't seem to be attracted to anyone, but he definitely found SooHyun attractive. 'Yeah. It does. Are you...okay with this idea? Being paired up with someone you just met?"
"Well... I guess it's no different than meeting someone on the street and falling in love at first sight," SooHyun said. "Not that I ever believed in that sort of thing, but I've spent the last five years studying continuously, maybe it's about time I stop looking at only books all the time."
HyungJoon smiled lightly at him. "And I did something other than sleep the entire day...have you...dated before?"
"Nope, never even kissed a person before," SooHyun said, looking over at him. "You?"
"Same," HyungJoon chuckled nervously, looking away. "Zhou Mi used to joke saying he hoped my opposite was a pole or something."
"A pole?" SooHyun blinked at that. "Well, I hope I'm at least a better alternative than a pole. I guess we're both going to be getting used to this whole... dating thing then. In between fighting for our lives against the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse."
"Yeah..." HyungJoon winced. "You don't have to tell me how crazy it sounds." He squeezed SooHyun's hand lightly, cheeks flushed. "We can probably start by like...getting to know each other better or something."
"I think I have a better idea," SooHyun said, stopping on the sidewalk and pulling HyungJoon a little ways into an alley. "How about we start... with this," he said softly, leaning in to press his lips against HyungJoon's in a quick, light kiss before pulling away.
Eyes widening slightly, HyungJoon slowly turned red as he looked at the other man. "Or we could do that," he got his voice back after a moment. Resisting the urge to touch his mouth like an awkward high schooler, he smiled again after a moment. "I think getting used to this is going to take a little repetition." He leaned forward to kiss SooHyun back.
SooHyun didn't need to be told twice, returning the kiss and putting an arm around HyungJoon's waist. It probably wasn't the best kiss, and maybe just a little sloppy and hesitant, but it was one SooHyun would always remember. Because it was perfect to him. "I could get used to that," he said after he'd pulled back a little, looking into HyungJoon's eyes.
"So could I," HyungJoon smiled at him, arms wrapping around the other man loosely in return. "Slow and steady, right?" Since either of them were all that familiar with relationships, that was the best way to go.
"Yeah... or... not," SooHyun said with a small laugh. "There's no telling what could happen right? I don't want to miss out on anything."
Flushing, HyungJoon ducked his head a little. "Okay, let's just go with it then. Speaking of, we need to get to the library." He kissed SooHyun lightly again before stepping back.
"Right... right..." SooHyun nodded, taking HyungJoon's hand again, a little more firmly this time. "Let's go," he said, pulling HyungJoon back out onto the sidewalk. "Lead the way, I don't know where your school or anything is."
"Okay, it's not that far." HyungJoon started down the street, keeping beside SooHyun and trying not to be distracted from the conversation by their joined hands. "Tell me more about yourself."
"Not much to tell, really," SooHyun said, shrugging a little. He told HyungJoon about school and his major. "I dreamed of being a theoretical physicist when I was a kid, but since getting into college I've discovered I have a love for quantum mechanics. None of which helps me here, by the way."
Blinking and wondering who dreamed of being a physicist as a kid (what happened to policemen and firefighters?), HyungJoon chuckled. "I don't understand quantum mechanics at all so you lost me, but it sounds cool. So you must be very good at math to like physics. What about your family? They must be proud, having such a smart son."
"I haven't really talked to my family lately, my father wanted me to be a doctor," SooHyun said, sighing a little. "Doesn't matter that my grades are the best, or I have written numerous papers that even the top minds in science look at, I'm still the son that refused to become a doctor."
"..." HyungJoon pouted a little at that, squeezing SooHyun's hand. "It's their loss, there's absolutely no reason why they shouldn't be proud of you for working so hard. It's your life, not your father's, and - people that high up read your papers? That's amazing, you're going to go so far."
'Maybe, we'll see," SooHyun shrugged, looking at HyungJoon with a smile. "What about you? What are you studying, and how does your family feel about it?"
"...Well..." HyungJoon squirmed uncomfortably, looking down and rubbing the back of his head. "I'm in anthropology right now, more because I didn't know where else to go so I figured it was as good a place as any. My mom doesn't really pressure me with expectations, it's sort of a lost cause."
"Why is it a lost cause? It's never too late to find a direction in your life," SooHyun said. "Is anthropology something you're interested in? Can you see yourself doing it for the rest of your life?"
"I'll be happy to get a job at all, doesn't matter what it's in," HyungJoon shook his head. "My life doesn't have any direction really, it's part of who I am. KiBum's the one who's gonna go far in the family. I'm just gonna see if I can graduate and hold down a job."
"That in itself would be a goal I think," SooHyun said. "What is important is that you be happy in whatever it is you do."
HyungJoon shrugged slightly, before nodding ahead of them. "There's our school right ahead. The library's in the middle of the campus, some of the others might be here already."
"Let's hope YunHo is as well then," SooHyun said, squeezing HyungJoon's hand lightly.
"Yeah," HyungJoon nodded, smiling a little at the pressure on his hand.
They were getting to the entrance when a voice called out. "Hey, guys!"
Turning around, HyungJoon chuckled to see JongWoon, HyunJoong, YoungSaeng and KyuJong were just arriving. "Hey, JungMin and Zhou Mi will be here soon."
"How was he?" KyuJong asked. "He told Saeng he was fine, but we all know how Mi can be."
"He was very worked up about something, said he was okay to me too," HyungJoon frowned. "He's so anxious it's like one good tap would break him."
"What scared him though?" YoungSaeng chewed on his lower lip. "I told him about the dreams coming true, and he freaked."
"He didn't say, that I heard anyway," SooHyun said, glancing at HyungJoon.
"Has he told anyone what his dreams were about?" KyuJong asked. "I don't remember hearing it... maybe that's what freaked him out."
"Maybe...he's never said anything to me," YoungSaeng frowned, looking at HyungJoon too. Zhou Mi's best friend shook his head slowly.
"Me neither...even when he started having them a year ago, he never told me what they were about." He was obviously unhappy his best friend wasn't telling him something that was bothering him that much.
"We need to ask him, because it could be important," HyunJoong said. "If the dreams really are showing us what will happen, it could help us be prepared in the future."
"But if it was bad enough to scare him like that... I wouldn't want to pressure him into anything," KyuJong said.
"We'll ask him, and see if he's willing to share or not," HyungJoon sighed. "Can't do anything if he doesn't want to. Maybe hearing whatever YunHo can say on this will help, if he says anything."
"He's supposed to be our guide, isn't he?" YoungSaeng folded his arms over his chest. "He better tell us something useful."
"If he can," JongWoon jammed his hands in his pockets, looking around as they entered the school.
Putting an arm around YoungSaeng's shoulders, KyuJong hugged him lightly from the side when they started into the school towards the library. "We'll get some answers. They owe us that much. It is our lives on the line after all."
"Yes, that doesn't make me feel any better about this," YoungSaeng leaned into KyuJong, uncrossing his arms to wrap one loosely around his boyfriend's waist.
"What about us?" JongWoon looked up at HyunJoong as they walked. "Your dream already happened...we have no idea what happens now."
"No, no idea," HyunJoong shook his head. "But no matter what happens, we'll face it together," he said, his hand finding JongWoon's. Even now when he touched the other man he could feel a tingle going up his arm. As they passed a few of the students walking past, he blinked, nearly stumbling over himself. "JongWoon.. do you... do you see that," he whispered, trying not to stare at a girl who had turned a corner to walk in front of them.
"See what?" JongWoon blinked, looking away from the younger man to see what he'd been looking at and nearly jumping out of his skin. "...That isn't normal, is it?"
He could see a faint orange hue coloring the air around the girl who walked by them, and it didn't disappear when he rubbed at his eyes. Looking around in confusion, he saw someone else pass by, and the same orange around her as the other girl, but more opaque.
"...What's wrong?" YoungSaeng turned around when the two of them stopped walking.
"I... can feel them," HyunJoong whispered, eyes narrowed at one of the girls. "I can feel their pride."
"Huh?" HyungJoon stopped at that, looking at HyunJoong in utter confusion. "Feel them? How?" He was used to the idea that as sins they could affect those around them, but not actually notice what they were doing aside from the visible affects.
"I can too," JongWoon murmured. Hand slipping out of HyunJoong's, he blinked repeatedly when the orange faded. "...And now I can't."
"Can you two make a little more sense, please?" YoungSaeng frowned.
"I still can," HyunJoong said, focusing on one of the girls. "I can feel the pride she feels, for her good grades. She beat out her best friend for the top spot in the class and she's going to go and gloat about it."
"That's a lot of information, you can't read minds now, can you?" HyungJoon blinked.
Confused, JongWoon touched HyunJoong's hand again and blinked when he could see the orange aura again, and feel the same thing HyunJoong was. "It's like...a strange glow around them. That isn't right though, bragging like that," he frowned at the girl.
"So.. how do you know this? You've been Pride for a while now, and you've never said anything about this before," KyuJong said.
"Because this has never happened before," HyunJoong said. The girl turned a corner up ahead, her aura disappearing with her and HyunJoong had to lean against JongWoon a little. "I'm... really tired already."
JongWoon wrapped one arm around the younger man to support him, still looking around. A few more students walked around, and he saw the same orange around them in varying amounts. "It looks like everyone has that glow...except for us," he noted, looking towards the others in their group. He couldn't see anything in them.
"Looks like we have more questions for YunHo," HyungJoon sighed, rubbing his temple. This was getting even more complicated.
"I can... feel them all," HyunJoong said in a whisper, closing his eyes and keeping his head down. "So many... I can..." he didn't finish the sentence, but the auras of the other students began to intensify. The orange glow brightening and becoming more opaque around each of them.
Eyes widening slightly, JongWoon winced as the auras intensified. "HyunJoong, are you okay?" He held onto the younger man, one hand lightly against his cheek. "Guys, I'm sorry, I need to get him out of here, it's too much." He was starting to feel slightly dizzy himself, but not to the extent HyunJoong seemed to be.
"Too many, they're in my head," HyunJoong said, clutching at his forehead as his knees began to buckle.
"Hyun? Is everything okay?" Zhou Mi and JungMin were coming up to them, the older man looking worried. "What happened?"
JongWoon staggered, trying his best to hold HyunJoong up. "Answers later, outside now." Slinging one of HyunJoong's arms over both his shoulders, he tried to bring the other man back the way they'd came.
"Zhou Mi's office is closer," HyungJoon said, going to help support HyunJoong's other side.
"Yes, take him to my office, is that okay HyunJoong?" Zhou Mi said, watching HyunJoong worriedly, though the man nodded.
"Fine... just... get them away," HyunJoong said, grateful for the two holding him up.
Zhou Mi didn't have a clue who "they" were, but hurried away in front of the group anyway, digging for his keys in his briefcase. By the time they arrived with the barely conscious HyunJoong, he had the door open and motioned for them to put him into one of the chairs. "Joon, go get a water from the vending machines," he said, holding out some change to him.
Taking the change, HyungJoon hurried out of the room. JongWoon got HyunJoong sitting down, crouching next to him and holding onto his boyfriend's hand. "HyunJoong, are you okay?" He cupped HyunJoong's face lightly, blinking back the dizziness.
Hovering near his ex in worry, YoungSaeng frowned at KyuJong. "That was because of the amount of people walking around?"
"I guess so, but I don't understand what was going on," KyuJong said, noticing the intense stare he was getting from Zhou Mi he sighed a little and tried to explain as best he could. "We were just walking and HyunJoong said he say something, JongWoon said he saw it too, something about a glow. Then HyunJoong said he could hear their prideful thoughts, now this."
Zhou Mi's stare turned on JongWoon. "Glow? Explain, what was it? Describe it."
JongWoon didn't look focused on Zhou Mi's question at all, too worried about his boyfriend. "It was like...an orange aura around people, and Hyun could feel how prideful they were. I could too, but if I let go of his hand, I couldn't. And just now, when he said there were too many people and started acting weird, the auras got stronger."
"That's... I don't really understand," Zhou Mi said, slowly sitting down. "He was seeing the pride? I guess?"
"I bet YunHo will be able to tell us," KyuJong said, his hand on YoungSaeng's shoulder.
"Right, will you be okay here with him, JongWoon? I think the rest of us should go see if YunHo is here," Zhou Mi said.
"Yeah, we'll be fine," JongWoon nodded. HyungJoon had come back with a bottle of water, passing it to JongWoon.
"Let's go see if we can find anything out then," YoungSaeng went back to the door. "Maybe we'll be able to help him."
"I hope so," KyuJong said, following his boyfriend. Zhou Mi and JungMin following right behind. "I'm sure that's what we have to look forward to soon enough."
"Somehow I'm not exactly...looking forward to it," YoungSaeng muttered, taking KyuJong's hand as they walked. Glancing behind them to see the other four following, he led them to the library.
Chapter: 32/40
Rating: R
Pairing: KyuJong/YoungSaeng, HyunJoong/JongWoon, JungMin/Zhou Mi, Kevin/KiBum, HeeChul/SiWon
Crossover: Super Junior, DBSK
Genre: Angst, AU,
Summary: Society is crumbling; salvation walks the earth once more.
Waking up when something hit his arm, JungMin stirred and grumbled a little as he cracked his eyes open to see what it was. First seeing the phone, then Zhou Mi, his eyes widened before he sat up, rubbing at his eyes to clear the sleep from them. "Mi? What's wrong?"
Zhou Mi didn't want to respond, just shaking his head a little as he wiped at his eyes. "I... I don't want to tell you," he said, looking up at JungMin with red eyes and tear stained cheeks. If anything, looking at JungMin's worried face just made it worse and his whole face crumpled in together as he started to bawl again.
Well, that woke JungMin up. "Hey, hey," he sat up properly, scooting next to Zhou Mi and wrapping his arms around the Chinese man's waist, hugging him tightly. "What's up Mi," he asked, kissing Zhou Mi's temple. "You can tell me, what's wrong?" He rocked the other man back and forth slowly.
It took a good few minutes before Zhou Mi had cried himself out and he was able to speak again, pulling away from JungMin's arms to look at him again. "Saeng... he just called," he hiccuped a little. "The dreams... are real. HyunJoong's dream came true yesterday... the attack... that was his dream."
"It was?" JungMin blinked, frowning. "Okay...so they're like, visions of what's going to happen?" It didn't sound that bad to him. "Then that gives us time to prepare, right? If we know what's going to happen? Isn't that a good thing?"
"No... it's not a good thing," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head slowly. "In my dream... I watch you die, right before they slit my throat." He hadn't told a single person about what was in his dreams, not even HyungJoon.
JungMin's eyes widened as he took that in. "You dreamed of us dying?" So that was why Zhou Mi was sobbing his heart out. "Mi..." He wrapped his arms tightly around the other man, kissing the top of his head.
"I don't want you to die," Zhou Mi said, burying his nose against JungMin's neck. "The dreams can't be real... they just can't."
Closing his eyes, JungMin ran his hand along Zhou Mi's bare back, breathing in deeply. "We're not going to let it happen," he murmured, voice strong. "Even if they're real, they're not set in stone. Remember, HyunJoong and JongWoon didn't know that's what the dreams were. We know now, and now that we do, we can make sure it isn't going to happen. Neither of us are going to die."
Zhou Mi wanted to believe him, with every fiber of his being he wanted to hold onto those words and use them like a shield. Even if he knew better, even if there was a tiny voice in the back of his mind that he knew what the truth was, he gave in to that belief and nodded. "Right," he whispered, his arms finding their way around JungMin's neck as he pulled back. "We're not going to die," he said, smiling softly at the man.
"Got that right," JungMin smiled back at him, kissing him. "And we're going to kick some horsemen ass while we're at it." He flopped back onto his back, dragging Zhou Mi down with him.
Squeaking a little at being pulled down, Zhou Mi stretched out his frame over JungMin, using his body as a pillow. "Yes we will," he said with a smile, leaning in to kiss him gently. "They won't be able to touch us," he murmured, running his fingers up JungMin's chest.
"Not a snowball's chance in Hell," JungMin chuckled, kissing him back and trailing his hands along the other man's back. Deciding to distract his boyfriend's thoughts and keep them far, far away from the horsemen, he flipped them both over and attacked the professor with sloppy kisses.
Zhou Mi was definitely not complaining, taking any kind of distraction he could get; it just so happened this was the best kind of distraction. He heard his cell phone go off again, but ignored it, not needing any more bad news in the already stressful morning.
Later, with JungMin collapsed against his chest and his breathing slowly evening back out, he recalled what YoungSaeng had also said. "They're going to go meet with YunHo today... maybe we should go with," he said softly, playing with a bit of the man's hair.
"Hm?" JungMin tilted his head slightly to brush his nose against Zhou Mi's neck. "If that's what you want, then sure, let's go. Who knows, maybe we'll get a straight answer this time around."
"Maybe," Zhou Mi hummed, closing his eyes at that. "I still can't believe it... that YunHo was the angel the whole time. I almost nearly asked him out too."
"I wonder how that would have worked out," JungMin rolled his eyes, kissing Zhou Mi's neck. "He's which one again? I couldn't make heads or tails of most of their explanations."
"He's... mmm... Gabriel, I think," Zhou Mi said. "It's hard to concentrate with you doing that."
"So? You want me to stop?" JungMin continued to trail soft kisses along Zhou Mi's skin. "Oh right, that woman angel said he was 'throwing us clues', he's the guide?"
"Didn't say stop, just making an observation," Zhou Mi said, his lips curling upwards into a smile. "Yes.. that's what she said... I don't know what clues she was talking about though. He just helped me find books... oh. The books!" His eyes opened and he looked up at the ceiling. "It wasn't an accident then, when that book got mixed in with my things.. or the book he gave me on revelations... He also kept telling me to go down to the downtown library. Though I don't know if that was a clue, he kept telling me to go out and have fun too, that doesn't seem very angel like."
"Well...you did meet me in a club," JungMin chuckled, tilting his head to look up at Zhou Mi. "Did he tell you anything else that you can remember?"
Zhou Mi blinked and looked down at him. YunHo had pushed him to go out to meet JungMin? It made sense, though it was a little disheartening that Zhou Mi hadn't met his opposite on his own like he had thought. "Um... No, not that I can remember. We mostly just chatted about books... well he chatted, I think I flirted more than anything."
"Glad to know I have you all to myself now," JungMin chuckled. "Maybe we'll get more answers this time around. Being friends with him might help him tell you more."
"It might, but would we really be considered friends? What if he doesn't like me and was just being nice because he had to?" Zhou Mi pouted.
"Aren't angels supposed to like everyone?" the redhead rolled his eyes, poking Zhou Mi's side. "Plus who wouldn't like you, that's impossible."
"I'm a math professor remember? Three quarters of my students despise me," Zhou Mi chuckled, wiggling away from the pokes. "You're just biased."
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," JungMin grinned, attacking Zhou Mi with tickles and kisses.
Zhou Mi shrieked, the sounds muffled by the kisses and his arms flailed helplessly in trying to push JungMin off. The downside in Zhou Mi's wiry frame meant he had zero muscle and JungMin seemed to be all muscle. Especially those thick thighs Zhou Mi loved to sit on. Okay, so what if JungMin was biased, so was he. "Min," he whined breathlessly. This wasn't going to get them out of bed any time soon if he kept that up.
Snickering, JungMin stopped his attack after a moment, grinning down at Zhou Mi. "What was that? I can't hear you." He missed seeing Zhou Mi happy, he had been so distracted lately, and there were shadows under his eyes that wouldn't leave. JungMin didn't know what was going in inside his boyfriend's head, but it seemed to be driving him towards hysteria and paranoia. Well, not if JungMin could help it.
Smiling warmly up at JungMin, Zhou Mi reached up an arm to hook his elbow around JungMin's neck. "If you don't stop, I'm going to hold you prisoner here in this bed until you apologize, and then we would have wasted a whole morning and afternoon," he said, tracing a finger from his other hand down JungMin's neck and chest.
"It would take longer than that," JungMin chuckled, shivering at the finger against his skin. "And as tempting as it sounds, I think we're supposed to be meeting someone." He caught the wandering hand and kissed Zhou Mi's fingertips.
"Yes, we do," Zhou Mi said, leaning up to kiss JungMin lightly. "And I think I freaked out YoungSaeng, I'll be surprised if they don't show up to beat down our door."
"Might want to call him then, and also find out where we're meeting them and when," JungMin said, returning the kiss. "I'll be in the shower if you want to join me," he grinned, shifting off of the other man and standing.
"See you in a bit," Zhou Mi said with a grin as he sat up. Searching through the blankets, he found his phone and turned it on, blinking at the number of missed calls. He thought he'd only heard it ring once. Sighing a little, he dialed YoungSaeng's number and listened to it ring.
YoungSaeng picked up right away. "Mi! What's going on, are you okay?!"
"Yes, I'm fine," Zhou Mi said with a soft laugh. "I'm sorry, I just freaked out over hearing that but I'm okay now. Where are you heading to go meet YunHo? The library?"
"...Yeah, we are," YoungSaeng sighed softly. "Thank God you're okay, you scared the hell out of us. I called HyungJoon when I couldn't reach you, might want to reach him too."
"... I'll do that right away," Zhou Mi said, sighing inwardly. HyungJoon would be on his way here though if he knew his best friend. Unless he was distracted. "JungMin and I will meet you at the library then."
"Okay, we'll see you there soon," YoungSaeng said, just as there was a loud knock on the front door.
"... Well I wonder who that could be," Zhou Mi sighed, turning off his phone. Gathering up his clothes, he pulled on enough to look presentable and went to the door, opening it and looking out with a frown. "I'm fine."
HyungJoon wasn't alone, SooHyun right behind him. "Mi, what's going on?" his best friend asked, eyes wide. "YoungSaeng called saying that you said something about us all dying and hung up on him, and wouldn't pick up the phone again."
"No, not all of us dying, just me and JungMin," Zhou Mi said, leaning up against the door frame. "I'm fine, it was just a moment of freaking out, that's all. I had just woken up and was on edge. I already called YoungSaeng and apologized, told him I'm fine. Which I am."
"You sure?" HyungJoon looked at him in worry. He wasn't completely oblivious, and he knew how on edge and paranoid Zhou Mi had been getting lately.
"Yes, I'm absolutely fine," Zhou Mi assured him. "JungMin calmed me down, and I feel a lot better now. Speaking of which, he's waiting for me in the shower, we have places to be soon... are you going with the others to find YunHo and talk to him?"
"Going to see YunHo?" HyungJoon blinked. "I didn't hear about this. Why are we going to see YunHo?"
"To see if we can get some answers, about the dreams," Zhou Mi said, tilting his head slightly. "Did YoungSaeng say why he had called me in the first place?"
"Not really, no, well I kind of hurried off the phone to see if I could reach you," HyungJoon rubbed the back of his head a little. "But if you're okay, then that's good. I guess we'll go meet you guys at the library."
"Yeah... come here for a second," Zhou Mi said, taking HyungJoon by the arm and pulling him into a tight hug. "Thank you for being worried about me," he whispered into his best friend's ear. "And hey... you rushed somewhere."
Hugging Zhou Mi back just as tight, HyungJoon pouted at him. "I know what you're thinking, and I would have rushed to make sure you're okay even without Diligence. You're my best friend, Mi, and you worry me way too often."
"I worry you?" Zhou Mi blinked, pulling back a little to look into HyungJoon's eyes, a hint of an amused smile on his lips. "How could I possibly worry you? Aren't I the responsible one?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you don't scare me every now and then, like today," HyungJoon poked Zhou Mi in the stomach. "I'm allowed to worry about you."
"There's nothing to worry about, I'm fine, I have JungMin," Zhou Mi said, poking him right back before leaning in to whisper again. "So, how was your first night with him?"
HyungJoon turned bright red. "We just had coffee, that's it," he huffed, squirming uncomfortably. "And he invited me back to his place because it was getting late, but just for sleeping, not your version of sleeping."
"Oh... I see," Zhou Mi nodded slowly, looking over at SooHyun who seemed to be very interested in a speck on the ceiling. "At least he's cute right? Well, I can get details later, I have to go, so do you, I'll see you at the library?" he said, pushing HyungJoon back out the door.
"Uh, yeah," HyungJoon staggered a little when he was pushed, elbowing Zhou Mi back before stepping out. "See you both there."
"Mhm! Nice seeing you again SooHyun!" Zhou Mi said, waving before he closed the door in their faces.
"He seems... high strung," SooHyun said, hands in his pockets.
"That's Zhou Mi for you," HyungJoon said, stepping away from the door. "Though he's high strung even for him lately. At least he's okay." He turned back to SooHyun, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "Thanks for coming here with me...if you had other plans for the morning, I'm sorry."
"Well, my plans had involved studying, but after the 'gas explosion' at the library, they've got it shut down," SooHyun said. "I've got nowhere else to be, and I kind of like being around you."
"Why were you going to study?" HyungJoon blinked at him, starting towards the elevator slowly. "Isn't it winter break for you right now?"
"Yes, but just because it's break doesn't mean I can continue to study," SooHyun said. "I haven't stayed at the top of my class because I'm a genius, a lot of hard work and studying has gone into it. You said you're in school, don't you have a study routine?"
HyungJoon blinked at SooHyun repeatedly at that, expression lost. "Uh...not really...I'm Sloth, study isn't exactly my forte." He looked away, not wanting to say he would have graduated a couple years ago if he hadn't failed several classes.
"Oh... well if you need help studying I'm sure I can come up with a schedule for you, I like making schedules," SooHyun said, grinning brightly at him. "Where are we going now?"
HyungJoon gave a slightly nervous and strained smiled in return. Well, he was screwed. "Zhou Mi said he and the others are going to go to the library at our school, to talk to the librarian there...YunHo, one of the angels we saw yesterday."
"Ah yes... angels," SooHyun frowned slightly, shaking his head. He was still trying to come to grips with all of the information he'd been told, though it made sense in a weird way. "Why are we going to see the angel?"
"To see if he could answer some of their questions about weird nightmares they've been having," HyungJoon said. "I'm not clear on the details, but we'll probably hear more about it when we get there. How are you taking all this?" he looked at the other man.
"Nightmares?" SooHyun's expression dimmed, and his tone became serious, ignoring the question. "What was that about nightmares, what kind of nightmares?"
"Well...I've only heard bits and pieces of the others nightmares, and none of Zhou Mi's," HyungJoon frowned slightly. "He's been having them for months though, almost since we found out who we are. YoungSaeng gets them too, and HyunJoong. In both their nightmares they seem to be getting attacked."
"Attacked by the horsemen... right?" SooHyun said quietly, looking down at the ground. "Yeah... I've been having nightmares too, for a while now."
"...Oh," HyungJoon bit on his lower lip. Well...there was their theory that only one out of the pair got the nightmares. "Do you remember what happens?"
"Not...really. It's dark, and there's someone standing over us," SooHyun said, shaking his head. "That's all I can remember. "It kind of fades really quick after I wake up. I don't like thinking about it."
"Well, maybe we'll figure out today what it's all about," HyungJoon tried for a reassuring smile. "It's worth a try."
"Maybe... you think my nightmare is the same that Zhou Mi and the others have been having?" SooHyun asked, looking up at him.
"Same source, I don't think it would be the same exact scene, from what I heard HyunJoong and YoungSaeng were dreaming of different things," HyungJoon said, lips pursed slightly as he thought. "The question is, why are the nightmares coming up? Is it the horsemen trying to scare us?"
"I guess that's something we're going to be asking the angel, hm?" SooHyun said, tilting his head slightly. "But it sounds like a reasonable theory."
"It's the best any of us can come up with...even though we know a lot more now than when Zhou Mi and I first started all this, we're still in the dark about a lot, and it's frustrating." They were back on the main floor by then, HyungJoon heading for the door.
"You said that you were all doing a great deal of research before," SooHyun said, following HyungJoon out onto the sidewalk. "From a studious standpoint, that seems to be the best course of action, but it's a greater probablility that there is nothing to research at all. Like how you said when you we meet each other, we just know, with that feeling, that chest pain and a ringing sound. What if the entire point is that you're supposed to remain in the dark until it's necessary to bring us into the light?"
HyungJoon looked at SooHyun helplessly. "...Don't tell Zhou Mi that, he's been bending over backwards finding books to research. But I like the idea of waiting for something bad to happen even less than I like studying. If we really don't have any protection against those four horsemen anymore, they could come after us at any time and we'd be useless."
"But HyunJoong and JongWoon proved that you're not useless," SooHyun said in confusion. "They didn't know what to do, but they figured it out when they needed to the most. Doesn't that say anything to what is to come?"
"Maybe...but Death was weak to begin with, we don't know if that would happen again," HyungJoon's shoulders hunched a little as he stepped outside. "Maybe Mi's paranoia is rubbing off on me...but I don't want to cross my fingers and hope whatever they did will happen again."
"No, I wouldn't suggest anyone do that either," SooHyun said with a sigh. "But.. it's something to think about, and maybe ask the angel a little more. He might let something slip."
"Maybe," HyungJoon nodded. "The best we can do right now is keep asking questions. And avoid going anywhere alone."
"I go where you go," SooHyun said, hesitantly reaching over to take HyungJoon's hand. "This feels... natural."
Blinking, HyungJoon flushed and looked down at their hands. There had been several comments of him being asexual over the years, since he didn't seem to be attracted to anyone, but he definitely found SooHyun attractive. 'Yeah. It does. Are you...okay with this idea? Being paired up with someone you just met?"
"Well... I guess it's no different than meeting someone on the street and falling in love at first sight," SooHyun said. "Not that I ever believed in that sort of thing, but I've spent the last five years studying continuously, maybe it's about time I stop looking at only books all the time."
HyungJoon smiled lightly at him. "And I did something other than sleep the entire day...have you...dated before?"
"Nope, never even kissed a person before," SooHyun said, looking over at him. "You?"
"Same," HyungJoon chuckled nervously, looking away. "Zhou Mi used to joke saying he hoped my opposite was a pole or something."
"A pole?" SooHyun blinked at that. "Well, I hope I'm at least a better alternative than a pole. I guess we're both going to be getting used to this whole... dating thing then. In between fighting for our lives against the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse."
"Yeah..." HyungJoon winced. "You don't have to tell me how crazy it sounds." He squeezed SooHyun's hand lightly, cheeks flushed. "We can probably start by like...getting to know each other better or something."
"I think I have a better idea," SooHyun said, stopping on the sidewalk and pulling HyungJoon a little ways into an alley. "How about we start... with this," he said softly, leaning in to press his lips against HyungJoon's in a quick, light kiss before pulling away.
Eyes widening slightly, HyungJoon slowly turned red as he looked at the other man. "Or we could do that," he got his voice back after a moment. Resisting the urge to touch his mouth like an awkward high schooler, he smiled again after a moment. "I think getting used to this is going to take a little repetition." He leaned forward to kiss SooHyun back.
SooHyun didn't need to be told twice, returning the kiss and putting an arm around HyungJoon's waist. It probably wasn't the best kiss, and maybe just a little sloppy and hesitant, but it was one SooHyun would always remember. Because it was perfect to him. "I could get used to that," he said after he'd pulled back a little, looking into HyungJoon's eyes.
"So could I," HyungJoon smiled at him, arms wrapping around the other man loosely in return. "Slow and steady, right?" Since either of them were all that familiar with relationships, that was the best way to go.
"Yeah... or... not," SooHyun said with a small laugh. "There's no telling what could happen right? I don't want to miss out on anything."
Flushing, HyungJoon ducked his head a little. "Okay, let's just go with it then. Speaking of, we need to get to the library." He kissed SooHyun lightly again before stepping back.
"Right... right..." SooHyun nodded, taking HyungJoon's hand again, a little more firmly this time. "Let's go," he said, pulling HyungJoon back out onto the sidewalk. "Lead the way, I don't know where your school or anything is."
"Okay, it's not that far." HyungJoon started down the street, keeping beside SooHyun and trying not to be distracted from the conversation by their joined hands. "Tell me more about yourself."
"Not much to tell, really," SooHyun said, shrugging a little. He told HyungJoon about school and his major. "I dreamed of being a theoretical physicist when I was a kid, but since getting into college I've discovered I have a love for quantum mechanics. None of which helps me here, by the way."
Blinking and wondering who dreamed of being a physicist as a kid (what happened to policemen and firefighters?), HyungJoon chuckled. "I don't understand quantum mechanics at all so you lost me, but it sounds cool. So you must be very good at math to like physics. What about your family? They must be proud, having such a smart son."
"I haven't really talked to my family lately, my father wanted me to be a doctor," SooHyun said, sighing a little. "Doesn't matter that my grades are the best, or I have written numerous papers that even the top minds in science look at, I'm still the son that refused to become a doctor."
"..." HyungJoon pouted a little at that, squeezing SooHyun's hand. "It's their loss, there's absolutely no reason why they shouldn't be proud of you for working so hard. It's your life, not your father's, and - people that high up read your papers? That's amazing, you're going to go so far."
'Maybe, we'll see," SooHyun shrugged, looking at HyungJoon with a smile. "What about you? What are you studying, and how does your family feel about it?"
"...Well..." HyungJoon squirmed uncomfortably, looking down and rubbing the back of his head. "I'm in anthropology right now, more because I didn't know where else to go so I figured it was as good a place as any. My mom doesn't really pressure me with expectations, it's sort of a lost cause."
"Why is it a lost cause? It's never too late to find a direction in your life," SooHyun said. "Is anthropology something you're interested in? Can you see yourself doing it for the rest of your life?"
"I'll be happy to get a job at all, doesn't matter what it's in," HyungJoon shook his head. "My life doesn't have any direction really, it's part of who I am. KiBum's the one who's gonna go far in the family. I'm just gonna see if I can graduate and hold down a job."
"That in itself would be a goal I think," SooHyun said. "What is important is that you be happy in whatever it is you do."
HyungJoon shrugged slightly, before nodding ahead of them. "There's our school right ahead. The library's in the middle of the campus, some of the others might be here already."
"Let's hope YunHo is as well then," SooHyun said, squeezing HyungJoon's hand lightly.
"Yeah," HyungJoon nodded, smiling a little at the pressure on his hand.
They were getting to the entrance when a voice called out. "Hey, guys!"
Turning around, HyungJoon chuckled to see JongWoon, HyunJoong, YoungSaeng and KyuJong were just arriving. "Hey, JungMin and Zhou Mi will be here soon."
"How was he?" KyuJong asked. "He told Saeng he was fine, but we all know how Mi can be."
"He was very worked up about something, said he was okay to me too," HyungJoon frowned. "He's so anxious it's like one good tap would break him."
"What scared him though?" YoungSaeng chewed on his lower lip. "I told him about the dreams coming true, and he freaked."
"He didn't say, that I heard anyway," SooHyun said, glancing at HyungJoon.
"Has he told anyone what his dreams were about?" KyuJong asked. "I don't remember hearing it... maybe that's what freaked him out."
"Maybe...he's never said anything to me," YoungSaeng frowned, looking at HyungJoon too. Zhou Mi's best friend shook his head slowly.
"Me neither...even when he started having them a year ago, he never told me what they were about." He was obviously unhappy his best friend wasn't telling him something that was bothering him that much.
"We need to ask him, because it could be important," HyunJoong said. "If the dreams really are showing us what will happen, it could help us be prepared in the future."
"But if it was bad enough to scare him like that... I wouldn't want to pressure him into anything," KyuJong said.
"We'll ask him, and see if he's willing to share or not," HyungJoon sighed. "Can't do anything if he doesn't want to. Maybe hearing whatever YunHo can say on this will help, if he says anything."
"He's supposed to be our guide, isn't he?" YoungSaeng folded his arms over his chest. "He better tell us something useful."
"If he can," JongWoon jammed his hands in his pockets, looking around as they entered the school.
Putting an arm around YoungSaeng's shoulders, KyuJong hugged him lightly from the side when they started into the school towards the library. "We'll get some answers. They owe us that much. It is our lives on the line after all."
"Yes, that doesn't make me feel any better about this," YoungSaeng leaned into KyuJong, uncrossing his arms to wrap one loosely around his boyfriend's waist.
"What about us?" JongWoon looked up at HyunJoong as they walked. "Your dream already happened...we have no idea what happens now."
"No, no idea," HyunJoong shook his head. "But no matter what happens, we'll face it together," he said, his hand finding JongWoon's. Even now when he touched the other man he could feel a tingle going up his arm. As they passed a few of the students walking past, he blinked, nearly stumbling over himself. "JongWoon.. do you... do you see that," he whispered, trying not to stare at a girl who had turned a corner to walk in front of them.
"See what?" JongWoon blinked, looking away from the younger man to see what he'd been looking at and nearly jumping out of his skin. "...That isn't normal, is it?"
He could see a faint orange hue coloring the air around the girl who walked by them, and it didn't disappear when he rubbed at his eyes. Looking around in confusion, he saw someone else pass by, and the same orange around her as the other girl, but more opaque.
"...What's wrong?" YoungSaeng turned around when the two of them stopped walking.
"I... can feel them," HyunJoong whispered, eyes narrowed at one of the girls. "I can feel their pride."
"Huh?" HyungJoon stopped at that, looking at HyunJoong in utter confusion. "Feel them? How?" He was used to the idea that as sins they could affect those around them, but not actually notice what they were doing aside from the visible affects.
"I can too," JongWoon murmured. Hand slipping out of HyunJoong's, he blinked repeatedly when the orange faded. "...And now I can't."
"Can you two make a little more sense, please?" YoungSaeng frowned.
"I still can," HyunJoong said, focusing on one of the girls. "I can feel the pride she feels, for her good grades. She beat out her best friend for the top spot in the class and she's going to go and gloat about it."
"That's a lot of information, you can't read minds now, can you?" HyungJoon blinked.
Confused, JongWoon touched HyunJoong's hand again and blinked when he could see the orange aura again, and feel the same thing HyunJoong was. "It's like...a strange glow around them. That isn't right though, bragging like that," he frowned at the girl.
"So.. how do you know this? You've been Pride for a while now, and you've never said anything about this before," KyuJong said.
"Because this has never happened before," HyunJoong said. The girl turned a corner up ahead, her aura disappearing with her and HyunJoong had to lean against JongWoon a little. "I'm... really tired already."
JongWoon wrapped one arm around the younger man to support him, still looking around. A few more students walked around, and he saw the same orange around them in varying amounts. "It looks like everyone has that glow...except for us," he noted, looking towards the others in their group. He couldn't see anything in them.
"Looks like we have more questions for YunHo," HyungJoon sighed, rubbing his temple. This was getting even more complicated.
"I can... feel them all," HyunJoong said in a whisper, closing his eyes and keeping his head down. "So many... I can..." he didn't finish the sentence, but the auras of the other students began to intensify. The orange glow brightening and becoming more opaque around each of them.
Eyes widening slightly, JongWoon winced as the auras intensified. "HyunJoong, are you okay?" He held onto the younger man, one hand lightly against his cheek. "Guys, I'm sorry, I need to get him out of here, it's too much." He was starting to feel slightly dizzy himself, but not to the extent HyunJoong seemed to be.
"Too many, they're in my head," HyunJoong said, clutching at his forehead as his knees began to buckle.
"Hyun? Is everything okay?" Zhou Mi and JungMin were coming up to them, the older man looking worried. "What happened?"
JongWoon staggered, trying his best to hold HyunJoong up. "Answers later, outside now." Slinging one of HyunJoong's arms over both his shoulders, he tried to bring the other man back the way they'd came.
"Zhou Mi's office is closer," HyungJoon said, going to help support HyunJoong's other side.
"Yes, take him to my office, is that okay HyunJoong?" Zhou Mi said, watching HyunJoong worriedly, though the man nodded.
"Fine... just... get them away," HyunJoong said, grateful for the two holding him up.
Zhou Mi didn't have a clue who "they" were, but hurried away in front of the group anyway, digging for his keys in his briefcase. By the time they arrived with the barely conscious HyunJoong, he had the door open and motioned for them to put him into one of the chairs. "Joon, go get a water from the vending machines," he said, holding out some change to him.
Taking the change, HyungJoon hurried out of the room. JongWoon got HyunJoong sitting down, crouching next to him and holding onto his boyfriend's hand. "HyunJoong, are you okay?" He cupped HyunJoong's face lightly, blinking back the dizziness.
Hovering near his ex in worry, YoungSaeng frowned at KyuJong. "That was because of the amount of people walking around?"
"I guess so, but I don't understand what was going on," KyuJong said, noticing the intense stare he was getting from Zhou Mi he sighed a little and tried to explain as best he could. "We were just walking and HyunJoong said he say something, JongWoon said he saw it too, something about a glow. Then HyunJoong said he could hear their prideful thoughts, now this."
Zhou Mi's stare turned on JongWoon. "Glow? Explain, what was it? Describe it."
JongWoon didn't look focused on Zhou Mi's question at all, too worried about his boyfriend. "It was like...an orange aura around people, and Hyun could feel how prideful they were. I could too, but if I let go of his hand, I couldn't. And just now, when he said there were too many people and started acting weird, the auras got stronger."
"That's... I don't really understand," Zhou Mi said, slowly sitting down. "He was seeing the pride? I guess?"
"I bet YunHo will be able to tell us," KyuJong said, his hand on YoungSaeng's shoulder.
"Right, will you be okay here with him, JongWoon? I think the rest of us should go see if YunHo is here," Zhou Mi said.
"Yeah, we'll be fine," JongWoon nodded. HyungJoon had come back with a bottle of water, passing it to JongWoon.
"Let's go see if we can find anything out then," YoungSaeng went back to the door. "Maybe we'll be able to help him."
"I hope so," KyuJong said, following his boyfriend. Zhou Mi and JungMin following right behind. "I'm sure that's what we have to look forward to soon enough."
"Somehow I'm not exactly...looking forward to it," YoungSaeng muttered, taking KyuJong's hand as they walked. Glancing behind them to see the other four following, he led them to the library.