Beyond This Illusion
Title: Beyond This Illusion (2/?)
Author: his_angel16
Pairing: Dongho/Xander
Genre: Angst, Romance, Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Shin Dongho’s life was nearly perfect. He had good grades, a well-paying job, and people surrounding him that loved him. Everything is taken away from him in mere hours and he finds himself starting over. Now running for his life, he ditches everything that he has ever known, including his identity. Assuming a new one, he has become the one thing he never thought possible: a girl.
Chapter Two:
Dongho frowned as the city faded, giving way to highway and openness. He kept his eyes on the window, too afraid to look in the mirror in case Jungmin was staring at him and too embarrassed with his behavior to talk to Xander. They rode in silence for a few miles, the sun that once loomed overhead now west, heading to make the places overseas bright. He sighed, leaning his head against the window.
There goes everything I knew, he told himself, watching as stray buildings dotted the edges of the highway. Hyung, I wonder what you’re up to. Are you going to miss me? He felt tears sting his eyes, blinking in time to keep tem from falling. He felt eyes on him and instantly glanced toward the front, seeing that Jungmin was watching him carefully in the mirror. He averted his gaze, staring at his lap.
“Jungmin, we’re going to have to stop for the night,” Xander said, nodding toward the setting sun.
“No, we keep going,” Jungmin replied, glancing in his mirrors. He floored the accelerator, the car jerking forward as the speedometer climbed higher. “I’ll drive straight to Busan and drop the two of you off.”
Dongho looked up, the words seeming to hit a nerve. “The two of us? I’m not going alone?” he asked, voice quiet.
“Not after you may have recognized the two from last night. We have to keep a close watch on you. The school you’ll be going to is one that a friend of mine went while in Busan. You’ll be fine so long as Xander keeps watch instead of flirts.”
Dongho glared at Xander. “If Xander hyung so much as glances toward a girl, I’ll dropkick his ass.”
Jungmin looked in the mirror, turning the wheel to change lanes. “Stop calling him hyung. He isn’t your hyung right now. He’s your oppa and that foul language might fly while you’re a man, but keep it clean while you’re Sangmi.”
Dongho pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Whatever you say, oppa.” He looked out the window, eyes wide when he noticed a motorcycle beside them. “Yah, is that Eli?”
Xander looked out the window, frowning when he didn’t recognize the helmet. “Eli has a black helmet with a platinum eagle on the back. That helmet is all black.”
Dongho kept staring, wondering who it could be. He was about to open his mouth when he noticed the motorcyclist reaching for something at his hip. His eyes went wide when the cyclist aimed a pistol at the window, pulling the trigger. The bullet ricocheted off the glass, a crack shooting through it. Dongho felt Xander pull him back, an arm wrapping around him.
“That’s definitely not Eli!” Dongho closed his eyes, turning to bury his face against Xander.
“Jungmin, pull away. Whoever that is, they know who we are,” Xander informed him. He felt the car lurch, Jungmin stomping on the accelerator. He reached over, opening the glove box and tossing a gun to Xander.
“I’m going to open the sunroof. You have one shot, Xander. Make it count.”
Dongho clutched at Xander, looking up as wind swept through the backseat. He watched as Xander cocked the pistol, feet planted on the seat as he stood. He heard a gunshot, jumping at the sound echoing through the open fields. He looked over his shoulder, watching as the motorcyclist flipped over the handle bars and went face first into the pavement. Dongho exhaled, hugging Xander once the elder was sitting safely beside him again.
“Step on it, Jungmin. We have to get to Busan as soon as possible. If he somehow managed to stop us, our cover would have been blown. My only question is how the hell did he find out who you and I are.”
Jungmin glanced in his mirror, the motorcycle and its driver vanishing into the distance. “My guess is that there’s a spy in our midst.”
“A spy?” Dongho looked at Xander and then at Jungmin. “You mean, I’m still going to be on the run even once we reach Busan? Then why the hell am I running to begin with?! Aren’t you supposed to keep me hidden from people like that? If he knows who I am, then everyone at your headquarters does, too!”
“Calm down, kid.”
“No! I’m going to be on the run for the rest of my life, aren’t I?”
Jungmin looked at Xander in the mirror, the other nodding as Dongho continued to ramble about never being safe. He watched as Xander pulled out a handkerchief and covered Dongho’s mouth with it, the younger’s eyelids becoming heavy. Jungmin stared straightforward, eyes hard as he continued to drive.
The kid might be right about the entire headquarters knowing who he is, Jungmin thought to himself. However, my mission is to get them to Busan in one piece. Xander can take over things there. I’ll go back to HQ and figure out who the hell is stabbing us in the back.
Sitting at his desk, he smirked. “Everything seems to be going as planned,” he murmured, the two in front of him kneeling before him. “I assume that you have located our friend?”
“Sir, we located Dongwoon on the highway. He’s being brought in for questioning,” the first one replied.
“Nicely done, Kikwang. You may leave, but take Minho with you. The two of you need to rendezvous with Hyungjun and Kibum. Perhaps even slip them a little inside information on the whereabouts of a certain witness.”
Kikwang’s head snapped up. “Are you saying that you want us to blow their cover? I know that Dongwoon failed to halt them leaving, but to willingly give them information? Are you positive about that?”
Kyujong stood, Kikwang returning to stare at the floor. “I’m certain of it. It’ll be a fun little game of cat and mouse, don’t you agree? His friend winds up dead, he becomes a witness to the murder and robbery of his workplace, and now he leaves to start over. The only thing missing is the action. We need something to entertain our lives.”
“You’re wanting us to throw away everything we were taught simply for entertainment?” Minho asked, looking appalled. Kikwang looked over at him, seeing his friend before he seemed to melt away, being replaced by a stranger. Minho smirked. “I like the way you think, Kyujong. I’m in. I’ll make sure that Hyungjun and Kibum find out where our little mouse is hiding.”
Kikwang lowered his eyes, staring at the carpet as his heart pounded. I have to warn Eli of this. I’m putting my life on the line for someone I don’t know, but when haven’t I done that? I have to get out of here without Minho and Kyujong suspecting anything.
“Move out. And when they bring Dongwoon in, make sure you treat him well.” Kikwang nodded at his words, knowing the message hidden within it. They were to beat Dongwoon to a bloody mess for losing so quickly. He and Minho saluted before they turned and left.
Once outside, Kikwang sighed in relief. Minho gave him an odd look, but didn’t ask questions. “I’m going to meet up with the Kim brothers. Stay behind and wait for Dongwoon to get here. I’ll be back within an hour.”
Kikwang nodded, watching as Minho left. After seeing him disappear through a side door, he turned and sprinted for Eli’s room. His feet thundered against the linoleum, his heart pounding as he reached the door. “Please, be home, Eli,” he whispered, knocking on the door. He held his breath until he noticed the door swing open, Eli standing there staring at him.
“Lee Kikwang? What are you doing here?” Eli asked, stepping aside to let Kikwang inside. He glanced in both directions before closing his door. He turned to face the other. “Spill it, Kikwang. What has Kyujong been telling you now?”
Kikwang blinked. “You know?” Eli nodded and Kikwang bit his lip. “He wants us to tell the murderers about where the kid went. Minho rushed off to do just that and-”
“You didn’t stop him?” Eli pulled out his phone. “Jungmin, it’s me. Get them there immediately and come back. They’re among us.”
Kikwang shrank back a little, Eli’s glare intimidating him. I hope they can get the kid to safety before Minho tracks down Hyungjun and Kibum. If they can’t, the kid will be dead within a week.
Jungmin tore his earphone from his ear, throwing it into the passenger seat. Xander had gotten Dongho to succumb to the fumes a few minutes ago, his head resting in Xander’s lap. Xander looked up at hearing Jungmin growl under his breath. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“They’re coming for him sooner than we thought,” Jungmin snapped. He glared out his window, making a sharp turn onto a dirt road to the side. “We’re camping tonight. I have a rogue friend that lives around here. He’ll put us up for the night. Make sure the kid stays asleep until we get there.”
“A rogue friend?” Xander’s eyebrows pulled together. “Who is it?”
Jungmin took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “Yong Junhyung.”
Xander nodded, that name standing out in his memories. Yong Junhyung had been one of the best agents they had. They feared that him being so young was what finally destroyed him in the end. What most of the remaining agents didn’t know, was that Yong Junhyung was still very much alive and was living just beyond their reach. He stared out the window, trees flying passed them in such speed that they blurred.
“You grew up together, didn’t you?” Xander whispered, his voice carrying in the silent car.
Jungmin nodded, slamming on the brakes as he turned a corner. In the distance, there was a single farmhouse with lights flickering in the front window. Smoke billowed out of the chimney as a few animals grazed in the pasture to the right of the large barn. Jungmin slowly accelerated, going at a normal pace for once. He slowed to a stop behind the midnight hued truck, its glossy coat gleaming in the waning light.
The porch light flicked on, Jungmin opening the car door and stepping out as if to give his friend a heads up that it was him and not some random government official still set on finding him. When Junhyung walked onto his porch, cigarette tucked behind one ear with a loaded shotgun in his hands, he smirked.
“Look what hell itself spat back out!” Junhyung roared, placing the shotgun against the side of the house. He smirked when Jungmin smiled, closing the door before walking up to him. They shared a brief hug, Junhyung looking over Jungmin’s shoulder and spotting Xander in the car. “I should have known that you needed my help.”
Jungmin pulled back, nodding once. “There’s a kid in the car that witnessed the murder of his coworker. We’re trying to take him to Busan, but the two murderers know that he’ll be there. Help me out, Jun.”
Junhyung walked toward the car, Xander tensing as he pulled open the door. Smirking, he pulled Xander out and stared down at Dongho’s sleeping form. “Cute kid,” he murmured.
Xander frowned. “Don’t you even think about harming him. He’s been through enough without having to add your shenanigans into it.”
Junyoung looked at Xander, the other taking a step back. He leaned over Dongho, staring at the younger as he slept. “I’ll help you, little one,” he whispered. He pulled back and looked at Jungmin. “Let’s get them inside.”
Jungmin nodded, walking over to the car. He went to pick Dongho up from the backseat, finding that Junhyung beat him to it. He glanced at Xander, the other’s expression conveying his worries. “Don’t worry, Xander. Junhyung is a comrade. He won’t let anything happen to the kid or to either of us. He’d die before then.”
Junhyung carried Dongho into the house, taking him upstairs as Jungmin went to the living room. Xander paused at the foot of the stairs before making his way up them, deciding he didn’t want to leave Dongho to the mercy of Junhyung. The very fact that he was Jungmin’s friend was warning enough. He found Dongho in a room, Junhyung had set him on a bed and covered him up before he turned to face Xander.
“You can stay as long as you need to. Basically my only rule is that you don’t terrorize my pets.”
Xander nodded, moving to sit in the armchair across the room. He watched as Junhyung left, his footsteps fading down the stairs. He heard Jungmin and Junhyung strike up a conversation in the room below, their voices muffled from the wooden floor. He turned his attention back to Dongho, frowning when the younger whimpered in his sleep.
“H-hyung…” Dongho whined, squirming under the comforter. He rolled over, hands fisting in the fabric as sweat began to dot his forehead. “I’m sorry, hyung. D-don’t be mad at me.”
Xander stood and crossed the room, sitting down next to Dongho. He brushed the younger’s hair from his forehead, reaching over and grasping one of his hands. “Yah, why would hyung be mad at you?”
Dongho tossed and turned, Xander using a little force to keep him still. “Hyung, I didn’t mean to hurt you…”
Frowning, Xander came to a simple conclusion. He’s either talking about a friend of his or his coworker that was killed. I wonder which one he’s referring to. He moved to stand, Dongho reaching out and catching his wrist. He froze, wondering if the younger had somehow awoken. Looking over his shoulder, he sighed in relief to see Dongho still asleep.
“Hyung, don’t leave me,” he whispered, speaking clearly in his sleep.
Xander nodded. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.” He moved closer, leaning against the headboard as Dongho unconsciously snuggled closer to him. “Hyung will always be right here for you, Dongho-ssi.”
Author: his_angel16
Pairing: Dongho/Xander
Genre: Angst, Romance, Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Shin Dongho’s life was nearly perfect. He had good grades, a well-paying job, and people surrounding him that loved him. Everything is taken away from him in mere hours and he finds himself starting over. Now running for his life, he ditches everything that he has ever known, including his identity. Assuming a new one, he has become the one thing he never thought possible: a girl.
Chapter Two:
Dongho frowned as the city faded, giving way to highway and openness. He kept his eyes on the window, too afraid to look in the mirror in case Jungmin was staring at him and too embarrassed with his behavior to talk to Xander. They rode in silence for a few miles, the sun that once loomed overhead now west, heading to make the places overseas bright. He sighed, leaning his head against the window.
There goes everything I knew, he told himself, watching as stray buildings dotted the edges of the highway. Hyung, I wonder what you’re up to. Are you going to miss me? He felt tears sting his eyes, blinking in time to keep tem from falling. He felt eyes on him and instantly glanced toward the front, seeing that Jungmin was watching him carefully in the mirror. He averted his gaze, staring at his lap.
“Jungmin, we’re going to have to stop for the night,” Xander said, nodding toward the setting sun.
“No, we keep going,” Jungmin replied, glancing in his mirrors. He floored the accelerator, the car jerking forward as the speedometer climbed higher. “I’ll drive straight to Busan and drop the two of you off.”
Dongho looked up, the words seeming to hit a nerve. “The two of us? I’m not going alone?” he asked, voice quiet.
“Not after you may have recognized the two from last night. We have to keep a close watch on you. The school you’ll be going to is one that a friend of mine went while in Busan. You’ll be fine so long as Xander keeps watch instead of flirts.”
Dongho glared at Xander. “If Xander hyung so much as glances toward a girl, I’ll dropkick his ass.”
Jungmin looked in the mirror, turning the wheel to change lanes. “Stop calling him hyung. He isn’t your hyung right now. He’s your oppa and that foul language might fly while you’re a man, but keep it clean while you’re Sangmi.”
Dongho pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Whatever you say, oppa.” He looked out the window, eyes wide when he noticed a motorcycle beside them. “Yah, is that Eli?”
Xander looked out the window, frowning when he didn’t recognize the helmet. “Eli has a black helmet with a platinum eagle on the back. That helmet is all black.”
Dongho kept staring, wondering who it could be. He was about to open his mouth when he noticed the motorcyclist reaching for something at his hip. His eyes went wide when the cyclist aimed a pistol at the window, pulling the trigger. The bullet ricocheted off the glass, a crack shooting through it. Dongho felt Xander pull him back, an arm wrapping around him.
“That’s definitely not Eli!” Dongho closed his eyes, turning to bury his face against Xander.
“Jungmin, pull away. Whoever that is, they know who we are,” Xander informed him. He felt the car lurch, Jungmin stomping on the accelerator. He reached over, opening the glove box and tossing a gun to Xander.
“I’m going to open the sunroof. You have one shot, Xander. Make it count.”
Dongho clutched at Xander, looking up as wind swept through the backseat. He watched as Xander cocked the pistol, feet planted on the seat as he stood. He heard a gunshot, jumping at the sound echoing through the open fields. He looked over his shoulder, watching as the motorcyclist flipped over the handle bars and went face first into the pavement. Dongho exhaled, hugging Xander once the elder was sitting safely beside him again.
“Step on it, Jungmin. We have to get to Busan as soon as possible. If he somehow managed to stop us, our cover would have been blown. My only question is how the hell did he find out who you and I are.”
Jungmin glanced in his mirror, the motorcycle and its driver vanishing into the distance. “My guess is that there’s a spy in our midst.”
“A spy?” Dongho looked at Xander and then at Jungmin. “You mean, I’m still going to be on the run even once we reach Busan? Then why the hell am I running to begin with?! Aren’t you supposed to keep me hidden from people like that? If he knows who I am, then everyone at your headquarters does, too!”
“Calm down, kid.”
“No! I’m going to be on the run for the rest of my life, aren’t I?”
Jungmin looked at Xander in the mirror, the other nodding as Dongho continued to ramble about never being safe. He watched as Xander pulled out a handkerchief and covered Dongho’s mouth with it, the younger’s eyelids becoming heavy. Jungmin stared straightforward, eyes hard as he continued to drive.
The kid might be right about the entire headquarters knowing who he is, Jungmin thought to himself. However, my mission is to get them to Busan in one piece. Xander can take over things there. I’ll go back to HQ and figure out who the hell is stabbing us in the back.
Sitting at his desk, he smirked. “Everything seems to be going as planned,” he murmured, the two in front of him kneeling before him. “I assume that you have located our friend?”
“Sir, we located Dongwoon on the highway. He’s being brought in for questioning,” the first one replied.
“Nicely done, Kikwang. You may leave, but take Minho with you. The two of you need to rendezvous with Hyungjun and Kibum. Perhaps even slip them a little inside information on the whereabouts of a certain witness.”
Kikwang’s head snapped up. “Are you saying that you want us to blow their cover? I know that Dongwoon failed to halt them leaving, but to willingly give them information? Are you positive about that?”
Kyujong stood, Kikwang returning to stare at the floor. “I’m certain of it. It’ll be a fun little game of cat and mouse, don’t you agree? His friend winds up dead, he becomes a witness to the murder and robbery of his workplace, and now he leaves to start over. The only thing missing is the action. We need something to entertain our lives.”
“You’re wanting us to throw away everything we were taught simply for entertainment?” Minho asked, looking appalled. Kikwang looked over at him, seeing his friend before he seemed to melt away, being replaced by a stranger. Minho smirked. “I like the way you think, Kyujong. I’m in. I’ll make sure that Hyungjun and Kibum find out where our little mouse is hiding.”
Kikwang lowered his eyes, staring at the carpet as his heart pounded. I have to warn Eli of this. I’m putting my life on the line for someone I don’t know, but when haven’t I done that? I have to get out of here without Minho and Kyujong suspecting anything.
“Move out. And when they bring Dongwoon in, make sure you treat him well.” Kikwang nodded at his words, knowing the message hidden within it. They were to beat Dongwoon to a bloody mess for losing so quickly. He and Minho saluted before they turned and left.
Once outside, Kikwang sighed in relief. Minho gave him an odd look, but didn’t ask questions. “I’m going to meet up with the Kim brothers. Stay behind and wait for Dongwoon to get here. I’ll be back within an hour.”
Kikwang nodded, watching as Minho left. After seeing him disappear through a side door, he turned and sprinted for Eli’s room. His feet thundered against the linoleum, his heart pounding as he reached the door. “Please, be home, Eli,” he whispered, knocking on the door. He held his breath until he noticed the door swing open, Eli standing there staring at him.
“Lee Kikwang? What are you doing here?” Eli asked, stepping aside to let Kikwang inside. He glanced in both directions before closing his door. He turned to face the other. “Spill it, Kikwang. What has Kyujong been telling you now?”
Kikwang blinked. “You know?” Eli nodded and Kikwang bit his lip. “He wants us to tell the murderers about where the kid went. Minho rushed off to do just that and-”
“You didn’t stop him?” Eli pulled out his phone. “Jungmin, it’s me. Get them there immediately and come back. They’re among us.”
Kikwang shrank back a little, Eli’s glare intimidating him. I hope they can get the kid to safety before Minho tracks down Hyungjun and Kibum. If they can’t, the kid will be dead within a week.
Jungmin tore his earphone from his ear, throwing it into the passenger seat. Xander had gotten Dongho to succumb to the fumes a few minutes ago, his head resting in Xander’s lap. Xander looked up at hearing Jungmin growl under his breath. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“They’re coming for him sooner than we thought,” Jungmin snapped. He glared out his window, making a sharp turn onto a dirt road to the side. “We’re camping tonight. I have a rogue friend that lives around here. He’ll put us up for the night. Make sure the kid stays asleep until we get there.”
“A rogue friend?” Xander’s eyebrows pulled together. “Who is it?”
Jungmin took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “Yong Junhyung.”
Xander nodded, that name standing out in his memories. Yong Junhyung had been one of the best agents they had. They feared that him being so young was what finally destroyed him in the end. What most of the remaining agents didn’t know, was that Yong Junhyung was still very much alive and was living just beyond their reach. He stared out the window, trees flying passed them in such speed that they blurred.
“You grew up together, didn’t you?” Xander whispered, his voice carrying in the silent car.
Jungmin nodded, slamming on the brakes as he turned a corner. In the distance, there was a single farmhouse with lights flickering in the front window. Smoke billowed out of the chimney as a few animals grazed in the pasture to the right of the large barn. Jungmin slowly accelerated, going at a normal pace for once. He slowed to a stop behind the midnight hued truck, its glossy coat gleaming in the waning light.
The porch light flicked on, Jungmin opening the car door and stepping out as if to give his friend a heads up that it was him and not some random government official still set on finding him. When Junhyung walked onto his porch, cigarette tucked behind one ear with a loaded shotgun in his hands, he smirked.
“Look what hell itself spat back out!” Junhyung roared, placing the shotgun against the side of the house. He smirked when Jungmin smiled, closing the door before walking up to him. They shared a brief hug, Junhyung looking over Jungmin’s shoulder and spotting Xander in the car. “I should have known that you needed my help.”
Jungmin pulled back, nodding once. “There’s a kid in the car that witnessed the murder of his coworker. We’re trying to take him to Busan, but the two murderers know that he’ll be there. Help me out, Jun.”
Junhyung walked toward the car, Xander tensing as he pulled open the door. Smirking, he pulled Xander out and stared down at Dongho’s sleeping form. “Cute kid,” he murmured.
Xander frowned. “Don’t you even think about harming him. He’s been through enough without having to add your shenanigans into it.”
Junyoung looked at Xander, the other taking a step back. He leaned over Dongho, staring at the younger as he slept. “I’ll help you, little one,” he whispered. He pulled back and looked at Jungmin. “Let’s get them inside.”
Jungmin nodded, walking over to the car. He went to pick Dongho up from the backseat, finding that Junhyung beat him to it. He glanced at Xander, the other’s expression conveying his worries. “Don’t worry, Xander. Junhyung is a comrade. He won’t let anything happen to the kid or to either of us. He’d die before then.”
Junhyung carried Dongho into the house, taking him upstairs as Jungmin went to the living room. Xander paused at the foot of the stairs before making his way up them, deciding he didn’t want to leave Dongho to the mercy of Junhyung. The very fact that he was Jungmin’s friend was warning enough. He found Dongho in a room, Junhyung had set him on a bed and covered him up before he turned to face Xander.
“You can stay as long as you need to. Basically my only rule is that you don’t terrorize my pets.”
Xander nodded, moving to sit in the armchair across the room. He watched as Junhyung left, his footsteps fading down the stairs. He heard Jungmin and Junhyung strike up a conversation in the room below, their voices muffled from the wooden floor. He turned his attention back to Dongho, frowning when the younger whimpered in his sleep.
“H-hyung…” Dongho whined, squirming under the comforter. He rolled over, hands fisting in the fabric as sweat began to dot his forehead. “I’m sorry, hyung. D-don’t be mad at me.”
Xander stood and crossed the room, sitting down next to Dongho. He brushed the younger’s hair from his forehead, reaching over and grasping one of his hands. “Yah, why would hyung be mad at you?”
Dongho tossed and turned, Xander using a little force to keep him still. “Hyung, I didn’t mean to hurt you…”
Frowning, Xander came to a simple conclusion. He’s either talking about a friend of his or his coworker that was killed. I wonder which one he’s referring to. He moved to stand, Dongho reaching out and catching his wrist. He froze, wondering if the younger had somehow awoken. Looking over his shoulder, he sighed in relief to see Dongho still asleep.
“Hyung, don’t leave me,” he whispered, speaking clearly in his sleep.
Xander nodded. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.” He moved closer, leaning against the headboard as Dongho unconsciously snuggled closer to him. “Hyung will always be right here for you, Dongho-ssi.”