validation pt 7
Title: Validation
Chapter: 7/?
Author: notochrasy
Rating: PG
Pairing: primarily Kris/Luhan, this chapter honestly doesn't play into any pairings
Genre: AU, Drama, Sci-Fi, Dystopian
Summary:
55 years after a new radioactive mineral has been discovered and used as a new nuclear energy source for Earth,
the human population has changed. Exposure to the radiation to the natural human fertilisation process is hazardous.
Potential genetic anomalies may be overcome through the use of genetic engineering to assist IVF treatment.
Your choice to conceive naturally may be the choice that brings humanity to its demise.
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters, blah blah blah.
Word count: ~3700
A/N: you'd probably benefit from rereading the previous chapter before continuing.
chapters: one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven
Kris storms out the holding bay metal doors holding Jongin’s book in his hands. He tugs at the front of his white labcoat angrily, finding a pocket to place it in and takes long fast strides towards Jongin’s room. The door is closed as usual and he moves in to touch the handle. It rattles slightly but doesn’t budge.
“It’s locked.” A muffled voice shouts from behind the door.
“You locked it?”
“No. The inside lock is unlocked, the outside lock is still… locked.”
Kris sighs in relief, “Didn’t you request it to be locked at all times, Kai? Privacy and what not?”
“Fuck you, Kris.”
“But it’s what you always wanted right?”
“I said, FUCK YOU.” Jongin snarls with a thump against the door.
Kris eyes the book in the breast pocket of his labcoat, “I have a few questions, so I’d appreciate your co-operation.”
“I’ll co-operate if you unlock the door.”
Kris purses his lips, “I’ll unlock it once I have the information I need.”
“No.”
“I guess you’re stuck in there then.” Kris sighs.
Jongin groans in frustration from inside the room. “Fine, what do you want?”
“The book, Kai. Is it your skin that covers it?”
There’s a long silence and Kris is about the repeat the question when Jongin answers with a loud “Yeah.”
Kris leans closer to the door, “And why is your skin on the book?”
“Why do you want to know? What can you learn from this huh?”
“Answer the question, Kai.”
“Isn’t it obvious? You already know that I create my dream worlds by writing in it. Why don’t you think about it a bit more.”
“I really don’t have time for this. Just answer the damn question.” Kris puts his ear against the door and he can hear Jongin throw things around his room in frustration.
“It’s a fucking extension of myself. My skin. The cover, the pages, it’s all my fucking skin. I write on my fucking skin because it’s a fucking extension of myself.”
Kris peeks down at the book and shudders, “There isn’t really a need for all the cussing.”
“Fuck off, Kris. I don’t want to talk anymore. Now unlock the fucking door…. Wait until I get my hands on that fucking Luhan…”
Kris backs away from the door, his shoes make a faint squeaking sound. There’s a thud from inside the room and then a few knocks.
“Kris? Are you still there? Kris?” The knocking turns into loud banging, “Kris! We had a fucking deal.”
Kris is still backing away slowly when he accidentally stumbles backwards into Yixing who had walked up behind him. Kris swears loudly, startled and gives Yixing a shove.
Yixing rubs his arm, his face serious, “Kris… we need to talk.” And he pulls Kris by the arm into his room.
Kris brushes Yixing’s grip from his arm, “Damn straight we need to talk. You knew about the book being covered with Kai’s skin didn’t you? And yet you still let me ask Luhan to go check it out? He pretty much just flipped out on me before.”
“It’s actually not just covered, but the rest of the pages are his skin too.”
“That’s entirely beside the point. How could you knowingly let me put a fellow colleague at risk like that?”
Yixing frowns, scratching his head just behind his ear, “I didn’t know he was going to take it! I thought he was just going to ask about it. Jongin would’ve been fine with that.”
Kris sighs, “Yeah…I didn’t think he would take it either. What could he have possibly been thinking…”
Yixing looks up sadly to Kris, “I think he was trying to impress you.”
“Impress me? How the hell would stealing impress me?”
“I don’t think he considered it as stealing…I don’t know, he was really confused and sad when I talked to him earlier before he went to Jongin.”
“I see…”
Yixing lowers his voice, “But there’s something else.”
Kris perks up, curious, “Something else?”
“There’s something wrong with Luhan… something serio-”
“What do you mean?” There’s slight worry in Kris’ voice.
“…I don’t know, I was checking him for-”
“You were checking him?”
Yixing waves his hands about, trying to explain, “Like a medical examination…but with my powers. Geez, stop interrupting me!”
“Sorry. Continue.” Kris apologizes with a scowl.
“I was checking him because he said he felt something and thought I was healing…which, I wasn’t… because he’d have to have something wrong with him for the healing to be activated without my own initiation. And while I was examining, his skin grew really hot like it was forming some kind of resistance against my powers. I was almost… almost able to break through the heat but then some idiot threw my mug of tea onto the ground.”
“Some idiot?”
“Well, I don’t know who it was. But it scared the shit out of Luhan and I had to cover up saying I accidentally knocked it off. Which would mean that I had to have used my foot since both my hands were occupied.” Yixing rolls his eyes.
“So you don’t know what is wrong with Luhan?”
“No clue. Just, some disturbance…”
“Ah dammit. Who the hell could’ve thrown the mug down?! Do you think Kai could’ve?”
Yixing twists his mouth into a grimace, “Possible but not plausible. He could’ve but it just doesn’t seem like he would gain anything from it…so probably not.”
“What about the new kid?”
“Sehun.”
“The new kid. Do you know what his powers are?”
“Eh… no. Sorry.”
“Dammit.” Kris huffs.
There’s a clatter at Yixing’s door and it swings open.
“I manipulate air flow. And I had nothing to do with your mug falling.” Sehun whispers, standing outside the room looking in.
Both Kris and Yixing freeze and slowly turn their heads towards the door.
“Holy… can you not appear out of nowhere like that?!” yells Yixing, clutching his chest dramatically.
“Were you eavesdropping?” Kris raises a brow.
“Not really. You two were just talking too loudly.”
Kris glances to Yixing and then back to Sehun, “Actually we weren’t.”
Sehun seems to consider this for a moment and smiles. “Right. I guess I may have accidentally manipulated the air a little to hear things better.”
Yixing narrows his eyes, “Is that even possible?”
Kris runs his fingers through his hair, “Sound waves do need a medium to propagate through. And air is definitely a medium that ensures propagation…and well the kid says he manipulates the air, so maybe.”
Sehun leans on the doorframe. “Seems legit.”
Yixing frowns, “So you don’t actually know?”
Sehun sighs, “I guess eventually I’d have to talk about it, so why not now. I’ve only had my powers for around 6 months. So I don’t really know anything about it.”
Kris motions Sehun to move in closer. “Why don’t you come in so we can talk.”
Sehun walks in and sits down on the end of Yixing’s bed.
Yixing sees this and pushes Kris’ arm. “He’s sitting on my bed!”
Kris shrugs, “So? As long as you don’t kick him off the way Luhan kicks people off, it’ll be fine.” Yixing pouts and Sehun rolls his eyes.
Yixing stares at Sehun sitting on his bed, “So you’re sure it wasn’t you that made the mug fall?”
Sehun nods, “I’m sure it wasn’t me.”
“Tell me all you know about your powers then.” Kris gestures to Sehun.
Sehun shifts uncomfortably and clears his throat. “Uh… air is everywhere. I… move it around, or something. Or move things through air…by… moving air…”
Yixing stifles a laugh, failing to maintain a straight face.
“Do you want to leave Lay?” Kris says sternly to Yixing then turns back to Sehun. “Can you describe what goes through your heard in the seconds before your power manifests?”
Sehun unfolds his legs from underneath him and then sits cross-legged. “I think of a point in the room…or well, just a point when I’m outside, and then I think of another point…and then the air flows from one of the points to the other point.”
“Does the air flow accelerate through the 2 points?”
“What do you mean?”
“Hm..how to put it…” Kris clears his throat, “Do you know what a gradient is?”
“Yeah, like a slope?”
“Yes, like a slope. For example, you’re on something with wheels and there’s a slope, the vehicle you are in will move from the high point of the slope to the low point. From the high end of the gradient to the low. This works for a lot of things… for example when you breathe in, there’s a muscle below your ribcage called the diaphragm, it contracts and basically pulls slightly downwards making your thoracic cavity larger. This decreases the pressure within your thoracic cavity, and creates an almost suction-like effect. Air flows down the gradient, from high pressure to low pressure, so from the outside high pressure to the low pressure within your thoracic cavity, where your lungs are. And this is how you breathe.”
Sehun blinks. “Can we skip the biology lesson? You were talking about the air flow accelerating through the 2 points.”
Kris glowers at Sehun but relents, “The point of that question was if the air flow accelerated through the 2 points, the assumption could be made that you’re creating 2 points of different atmospheric pressure that allows you to manipulate the way air flow, or wind travels.”
“I don’t get it.” Sehun squints at Kris, frowning.
“And here I thought you would want to skip all the details here too.”
Sehun rolls his eyes, “Explain then. I have nothing better to do apparently.”
“Atmospheric pressure is very much determined by the concentration of gas molecules within a certain area of air. Think of the gas molecules as marshmallows, and you’re pushing the marshmallows into a box. The more marshmallows you put into a box, the thicker the layering of marshmallows, the denser, the heavier the box becomes. This is high atmospheric pressure.” Kris pauses to allow Sehun to process it.
“I don’t get why you’re using marshmallows, but whatever.”
“Are you following?” Kris walks up to the bedside table and leans against it.
“Yeah, I’m following.”
Kris starts again, “Imagine pushing so many marshmallows into the box that you have to time yourself really quickly to put the lid back on without spilling all of it.”
“Why?”
“Just imagine, dumbass.” Yixing whispers, backhanding Sehun in the chest.
“Fine.” Sehun replies.
“So the box is packed tight with marshmallows. You spill some on the table but don’t worry, the box is still very much full. The force that each marshmallow is exerting on each other, and the walls of the box is very high. The pressure is unbelievably high.” Kris clears his throat, finding that it is slightly dry, “A friend comes along and they want some marshmallows. Without knowing how packed to the brim the box is, he opens the lid. And what happens?” Kris nods in Sehun’s direction.
“Um. The marshmallows all spill out?”
“Precisely. Because the outside of the box there are only the marshmallows on the table you spilled before, so there’s less gas molecules outside the box, and this is low atmospheric pressure. Air will flow from high atmospheric pressure to low atmospheric pressure.”
“Marshmallows flow from high marshmallow pressure to low marshmallow pressure.” Yixing adds.
“Yes. Correct.”
“But why marshmallows?” Sehun asks.
“I honestly couldn’t think of anything else.” Kris said, smiling a bit.
“How do you know all this, Kris?” Yixing pokes Kris in the arm.
“I did a semester of geography and we had to learn about how atmospheric pressure affected weather, and how weather affected migration and population change.”
“Geography, seriously?” Yixing says with a laugh.
“I had to choose an elective course and didn’t particularly fancy doing Public Health.” Kris replies, wrinkling his nose.
“Right…”
Sehun suddenly puts up his hand, “Hey guys? I thought this was about helping me understand my powers?”
Kris leans back further onto the bedside table, making it creak, “Yes, back to the issue at hand. So the powers have only manifested in the last 6 months?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re a late bloomer.” Yixing says with a snicker.
“I know. Unlike Jongin.” Sehun’s mouth curls up into a snarl, “He got his powers when we hit puberty.”
Kris leans forward, “Wait, am I missing something here? What has anything got to do with Kai?”
Sehun scoffs, “You mean your buddy Luhan didn’t tell you anything?”
“Was he meant to?” And Kris also turns to Yixing with his brows raised, but Yixing just shrugs and mouths a silent “I don’t know anything.”
“I grew up with Jongin. We’re from the same village. We’re the same age, we went to school together, our mothers are…” Sehun pauses, “our mothers were best friends… we did everything together…until…”
“Until?” Kris and Yixing said in unison.
“He got his powers and then he was like, the popular kid. Everyone loved him, no one cared about me… and he was appointed as a youth protector… like that guy would protect anyone but himself…”
Yixing sticks his hands underneath him and moves in closer to Sehun, “How did you survive the Elmacov massacre?”
“Elmacov?”
“It’s the anarchist group that… came into your village.” Kris replies.
Sehun throws a look of disgust in Kris’ direction. “They’re an actual established group?”
“Yeah, I assumed they were the ones that had to beat up when I found you outside the facility.”
Sehun shook his head, “Nah… they didn’t do anything to me. Not the day of the massacre… nor the day I ended up here.”
“Then do you know who beat you up?”
“Sure I do. It’s the reason why I’m here. Jongin did it.”
“…Why would he do such a thing? What can he gain by doing that?”
“He just hates me because I’m the only survivor of our village aside from him.”
Yixing cries out, “Shouldn’t he be happy that he still has a friend?”
“The hell he would. I’m a reminder that he abandoned his duties as a protector.” Sehun’s voice increases in volume, “You know, the day that group came into our village…I was home sick. The group… they came in from the east gate and hit the school first… They killed every single one of the kids in school…every single one of the teachers too. They spared no one. Except Jongin of course, only because he fled at the first sign of danger. He should’ve stayed at helped everyone escape…he could’ve done so much…but he didn’t. What kind of person wouldn’t use their powers to help people?”
“There are many people like that…” Kris says sadly, Yixing nodding beside him. “How did you find him again?”
“I followed his scent… Have you ever actually watched Jongin teleport?”
“Yeah a few times.” Kris nods.
“Every time he teleports, he leaves a wisp of dark smoke. I used to tell him that it was his soul burning when we were younger… The dark smoke has a very distinct smell. It was hard to track when he first left, but I figured he wouldn’t be that far from home… when I found him the first time…he teleported and I couldn’t find him for months, but then after my powers manifested…for some reason I could catch his scent so much easier…”
“You unconsciously manipulated the air to catch his scent probably.” Kris says.
“Yeah, probably. But yeah… I found him again a few times, and then lost him… and then the last time I found him was when he beat me up… I then followed his scent… and here I am.”
“So you’re here to exact your revenge on him?” Yixing butts in.
Sehun smirks, “Already done.”
Yixing cocks his head to the side, “Already?”
“Yeah. Thanks to Luhan.”
Kris heartbeat quickens at the mention of Luhan’s name. “How is Luhan involved in this?”
“I convinced your friend Luhan that he stole Jongin’s book.”
“When it was actually you who stole it…”
“Yeah. But it doesn’t matter either way, I stole it, claimed it as my own and stopped Jongin from teleporting.” Sehun says, proud of himself. “Plus I did your friend a favor. Jongin was giving him a hard time.”
Kris straightens up abruptly, walks to the end of the bed and pulls Sehun up by the collar of his shirt. “You seriously think you’re doing favors here? Do you know how messed up Luhan feels right now?” He shakes Sehun, “Do you?”
Kris feels a tug on the back of his shirt.
“Your pager is blinking.” Yixing says quietly.
With Sehun still held up by the collar, Kris curses and pushes Sehun down. He pulls the pager from his belt and turns it off.
“Got plans?” Sehun sneers.
“I have to go.” Kris says flatly, his hand twitching. And before he turns to leave he lands a right hook squarely into Sehun’s jaw. There’s a loud crack that resonates through the room as Kris’ fist connects with Sehun’s face. Kris fights the urge to spit on Sehun as he turns to exit the room.
“Lay, you take care of that. I probably broke something in there.” Kris says without turning back.
* * *
A slim figure stands outside the southern door of the holding bay where the decontamination booth sits. The light above the door flashes and the doors open. Kris walks out with his hair still wet from the showers and his decontaminated labcoat, freshly pressed, folded over his arm. Jongin’s book is tucked away in one of Kris’ lockers in the holding bay.
A woman’s voice takes Kris by surprise. “Took you long enough. I’ve been waiting forever.”
Kris turns back to the doors and smiles weakly. “Decontamination. And it’s nice to see you too, Yoona. It’s been a while.”
“Too long, Kris.” She replies warmly, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“So let’s get things moving.”
“Hold on, there’s no rush.”
“You chastise me for keeping you waiting and now you say there’s no rush?” Kris jests lightly.
Yoona rolls her eyes and shrugs, “Fine, do you want to head to the waiting room or…?”
“I think one of the consultation rooms in the South Wing would be better. I don’t want people accidentally walking in.”
“Okay, you lead the way then.” Yoona signals Kris to move down the corridor first.
Kris sticks his hands in his pant pockets and shuffles his feet quickly along the linoleum floor. Yoona quickens her pace beside him but has no trouble keeping up. He keeps his head down, only to glance up once or twice to check the distance between them as they walk.
“It pains you to have to call me, doesn’t it?” Yoona says softly.
“Is it that obvious?” Kris says with a wince.
“Actually no,” Yoona laughs, “You hide it well. Maybe it’s because you have that uncomfortable look on your face 24/7.” And she reaches up and ruffles Kris’s hair.
“Hey, watch the hair!”
Yoona ignores the dirty look Kris throws at her and pinches his cheek.
“You still treat me like a little brother.” Kris says, pulling away from Yoona, “You’re not that much older than me you know…”
“But still older.” She says with a wink.
Kris rubs his cheek and keeps walking.
“You okay Kris? You seem a little down.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? You know you can trust me.”
Kris doesn’t make eye contact with Yoona, “I know. But I didn’t call you here to talk.”
The long stretch of this linoleum-lined corridor is what makes up a majority of the walking distance required to get from the North Wing to the South Wing.
The Trident Rehabilitation Center is divided into 3 basic areas, the North Wing, East Wing and South Wing. The North Wing is where the Invalid cases are housed, along with the Rec room and part of the laboratory. The East wing consists of mainly the research and living quarters of the Carers, and the South Wing is a secured zone that is only occupied during the transportation and admittance of Invalid cases, new or old.
Kris opens the door to the consultation room right at the end of the south corridor before it bends into the secure zone of the South Wing, a musty smell wafts through the air. He feels around the next to the doorframe for the light switch and turns it on. The light flickers a few times before turning on, illuminating the room to show it’s humble furnishings.
The set up is somewhat similar to a clinical consultation room with a table, a chair for the clinician, a chair for the patient, a small leather 2-seater for any family or friends that may be there for moral support, and a bed propped up on steely legs, covered in blinding white linen.
Kris sinks into the leather 2-seater and notices a layer of dust that has formed on top of the arms.
“Don’t go anywhere.” Yoona says pointedly, behind the half open door.
“Wasn’t planning to.” Kris calls out after Yoona disappears.
Kris takes his finger and runs it along the arm of the couch, picking up the layer of dust. He rubs it between his thumb and forefinger before he blows it into the air. His eyes follow the dust particles through the air until something in his peripheral vision diverts his attention.
“You have no idea how surprised I was when I got the phone call from Yoona.” A young man with a kind face walked through the door, closing it behind him.
“Joonmyun.” Kris calls out.
He flashes a smile, “Kris, my old friend. It’s been a while since anyone has called me that.”
“Oh? What do they call you now?”
Joonmyun walks past Kris and leans onto the bed on the other side of the room.
“When I got sworn into the Elite circle, I got the name Suho.”
Kris lets out a dry laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Joonmyun asks defensively.
“Suho? Meaning guardian… doesn’t that sound super pretentious to you?”
Joomyeon chuckles lightly, “I did think that when I first got the name, but I like it now.”
“Of course you do…”
“Anyway, I know Yoona didn’t drag me all the way down here for nothing, so what can I do for you?” Joonmyun walks back across the room and sits down on one of the consultation chairs.
Kris hesitates and his face falls,
“I have a favor to ask you.”
a/n:
next chapter find out what favor kris has to ask of suho,
and see if suho actually willing to oblige.
please enjoy your stay at the trident rehabilitation facility,
take note how the second half of a man's life is made up of nothing
but the habits he has acquired during the first half.
so make it a habit to respect yourself
and that self-respect may compel others to respect you.
hi. read and leave comment? or tweet me @notochrasy
ps. lol went way over what i was aiming for in terms of word count this chapter, so i had to cut it there...cliffhanger once again hahahahahahahhaha. i hate cliffhangers :|
Chapter: 7/?
Author: notochrasy
Rating: PG
Pairing: primarily Kris/Luhan, this chapter honestly doesn't play into any pairings
Genre: AU, Drama, Sci-Fi, Dystopian
Summary:
55 years after a new radioactive mineral has been discovered and used as a new nuclear energy source for Earth,
the human population has changed. Exposure to the radiation to the natural human fertilisation process is hazardous.
Potential genetic anomalies may be overcome through the use of genetic engineering to assist IVF treatment.
Your choice to conceive naturally may be the choice that brings humanity to its demise.
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters, blah blah blah.
Word count: ~3700
A/N: you'd probably benefit from rereading the previous chapter before continuing.
chapters: one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven
Kris storms out the holding bay metal doors holding Jongin’s book in his hands. He tugs at the front of his white labcoat angrily, finding a pocket to place it in and takes long fast strides towards Jongin’s room. The door is closed as usual and he moves in to touch the handle. It rattles slightly but doesn’t budge.
“It’s locked.” A muffled voice shouts from behind the door.
“You locked it?”
“No. The inside lock is unlocked, the outside lock is still… locked.”
Kris sighs in relief, “Didn’t you request it to be locked at all times, Kai? Privacy and what not?”
“Fuck you, Kris.”
“But it’s what you always wanted right?”
“I said, FUCK YOU.” Jongin snarls with a thump against the door.
Kris eyes the book in the breast pocket of his labcoat, “I have a few questions, so I’d appreciate your co-operation.”
“I’ll co-operate if you unlock the door.”
Kris purses his lips, “I’ll unlock it once I have the information I need.”
“No.”
“I guess you’re stuck in there then.” Kris sighs.
Jongin groans in frustration from inside the room. “Fine, what do you want?”
“The book, Kai. Is it your skin that covers it?”
There’s a long silence and Kris is about the repeat the question when Jongin answers with a loud “Yeah.”
Kris leans closer to the door, “And why is your skin on the book?”
“Why do you want to know? What can you learn from this huh?”
“Answer the question, Kai.”
“Isn’t it obvious? You already know that I create my dream worlds by writing in it. Why don’t you think about it a bit more.”
“I really don’t have time for this. Just answer the damn question.” Kris puts his ear against the door and he can hear Jongin throw things around his room in frustration.
“It’s a fucking extension of myself. My skin. The cover, the pages, it’s all my fucking skin. I write on my fucking skin because it’s a fucking extension of myself.”
Kris peeks down at the book and shudders, “There isn’t really a need for all the cussing.”
“Fuck off, Kris. I don’t want to talk anymore. Now unlock the fucking door…. Wait until I get my hands on that fucking Luhan…”
Kris backs away from the door, his shoes make a faint squeaking sound. There’s a thud from inside the room and then a few knocks.
“Kris? Are you still there? Kris?” The knocking turns into loud banging, “Kris! We had a fucking deal.”
Kris is still backing away slowly when he accidentally stumbles backwards into Yixing who had walked up behind him. Kris swears loudly, startled and gives Yixing a shove.
Yixing rubs his arm, his face serious, “Kris… we need to talk.” And he pulls Kris by the arm into his room.
Kris brushes Yixing’s grip from his arm, “Damn straight we need to talk. You knew about the book being covered with Kai’s skin didn’t you? And yet you still let me ask Luhan to go check it out? He pretty much just flipped out on me before.”
“It’s actually not just covered, but the rest of the pages are his skin too.”
“That’s entirely beside the point. How could you knowingly let me put a fellow colleague at risk like that?”
Yixing frowns, scratching his head just behind his ear, “I didn’t know he was going to take it! I thought he was just going to ask about it. Jongin would’ve been fine with that.”
Kris sighs, “Yeah…I didn’t think he would take it either. What could he have possibly been thinking…”
Yixing looks up sadly to Kris, “I think he was trying to impress you.”
“Impress me? How the hell would stealing impress me?”
“I don’t think he considered it as stealing…I don’t know, he was really confused and sad when I talked to him earlier before he went to Jongin.”
“I see…”
Yixing lowers his voice, “But there’s something else.”
Kris perks up, curious, “Something else?”
“There’s something wrong with Luhan… something serio-”
“What do you mean?” There’s slight worry in Kris’ voice.
“…I don’t know, I was checking him for-”
“You were checking him?”
Yixing waves his hands about, trying to explain, “Like a medical examination…but with my powers. Geez, stop interrupting me!”
“Sorry. Continue.” Kris apologizes with a scowl.
“I was checking him because he said he felt something and thought I was healing…which, I wasn’t… because he’d have to have something wrong with him for the healing to be activated without my own initiation. And while I was examining, his skin grew really hot like it was forming some kind of resistance against my powers. I was almost… almost able to break through the heat but then some idiot threw my mug of tea onto the ground.”
“Some idiot?”
“Well, I don’t know who it was. But it scared the shit out of Luhan and I had to cover up saying I accidentally knocked it off. Which would mean that I had to have used my foot since both my hands were occupied.” Yixing rolls his eyes.
“So you don’t know what is wrong with Luhan?”
“No clue. Just, some disturbance…”
“Ah dammit. Who the hell could’ve thrown the mug down?! Do you think Kai could’ve?”
Yixing twists his mouth into a grimace, “Possible but not plausible. He could’ve but it just doesn’t seem like he would gain anything from it…so probably not.”
“What about the new kid?”
“Sehun.”
“The new kid. Do you know what his powers are?”
“Eh… no. Sorry.”
“Dammit.” Kris huffs.
There’s a clatter at Yixing’s door and it swings open.
“I manipulate air flow. And I had nothing to do with your mug falling.” Sehun whispers, standing outside the room looking in.
Both Kris and Yixing freeze and slowly turn their heads towards the door.
“Holy… can you not appear out of nowhere like that?!” yells Yixing, clutching his chest dramatically.
“Were you eavesdropping?” Kris raises a brow.
“Not really. You two were just talking too loudly.”
Kris glances to Yixing and then back to Sehun, “Actually we weren’t.”
Sehun seems to consider this for a moment and smiles. “Right. I guess I may have accidentally manipulated the air a little to hear things better.”
Yixing narrows his eyes, “Is that even possible?”
Kris runs his fingers through his hair, “Sound waves do need a medium to propagate through. And air is definitely a medium that ensures propagation…and well the kid says he manipulates the air, so maybe.”
Sehun leans on the doorframe. “Seems legit.”
Yixing frowns, “So you don’t actually know?”
Sehun sighs, “I guess eventually I’d have to talk about it, so why not now. I’ve only had my powers for around 6 months. So I don’t really know anything about it.”
Kris motions Sehun to move in closer. “Why don’t you come in so we can talk.”
Sehun walks in and sits down on the end of Yixing’s bed.
Yixing sees this and pushes Kris’ arm. “He’s sitting on my bed!”
Kris shrugs, “So? As long as you don’t kick him off the way Luhan kicks people off, it’ll be fine.” Yixing pouts and Sehun rolls his eyes.
Yixing stares at Sehun sitting on his bed, “So you’re sure it wasn’t you that made the mug fall?”
Sehun nods, “I’m sure it wasn’t me.”
“Tell me all you know about your powers then.” Kris gestures to Sehun.
Sehun shifts uncomfortably and clears his throat. “Uh… air is everywhere. I… move it around, or something. Or move things through air…by… moving air…”
Yixing stifles a laugh, failing to maintain a straight face.
“Do you want to leave Lay?” Kris says sternly to Yixing then turns back to Sehun. “Can you describe what goes through your heard in the seconds before your power manifests?”
Sehun unfolds his legs from underneath him and then sits cross-legged. “I think of a point in the room…or well, just a point when I’m outside, and then I think of another point…and then the air flows from one of the points to the other point.”
“Does the air flow accelerate through the 2 points?”
“What do you mean?”
“Hm..how to put it…” Kris clears his throat, “Do you know what a gradient is?”
“Yeah, like a slope?”
“Yes, like a slope. For example, you’re on something with wheels and there’s a slope, the vehicle you are in will move from the high point of the slope to the low point. From the high end of the gradient to the low. This works for a lot of things… for example when you breathe in, there’s a muscle below your ribcage called the diaphragm, it contracts and basically pulls slightly downwards making your thoracic cavity larger. This decreases the pressure within your thoracic cavity, and creates an almost suction-like effect. Air flows down the gradient, from high pressure to low pressure, so from the outside high pressure to the low pressure within your thoracic cavity, where your lungs are. And this is how you breathe.”
Sehun blinks. “Can we skip the biology lesson? You were talking about the air flow accelerating through the 2 points.”
Kris glowers at Sehun but relents, “The point of that question was if the air flow accelerated through the 2 points, the assumption could be made that you’re creating 2 points of different atmospheric pressure that allows you to manipulate the way air flow, or wind travels.”
“I don’t get it.” Sehun squints at Kris, frowning.
“And here I thought you would want to skip all the details here too.”
Sehun rolls his eyes, “Explain then. I have nothing better to do apparently.”
“Atmospheric pressure is very much determined by the concentration of gas molecules within a certain area of air. Think of the gas molecules as marshmallows, and you’re pushing the marshmallows into a box. The more marshmallows you put into a box, the thicker the layering of marshmallows, the denser, the heavier the box becomes. This is high atmospheric pressure.” Kris pauses to allow Sehun to process it.
“I don’t get why you’re using marshmallows, but whatever.”
“Are you following?” Kris walks up to the bedside table and leans against it.
“Yeah, I’m following.”
Kris starts again, “Imagine pushing so many marshmallows into the box that you have to time yourself really quickly to put the lid back on without spilling all of it.”
“Why?”
“Just imagine, dumbass.” Yixing whispers, backhanding Sehun in the chest.
“Fine.” Sehun replies.
“So the box is packed tight with marshmallows. You spill some on the table but don’t worry, the box is still very much full. The force that each marshmallow is exerting on each other, and the walls of the box is very high. The pressure is unbelievably high.” Kris clears his throat, finding that it is slightly dry, “A friend comes along and they want some marshmallows. Without knowing how packed to the brim the box is, he opens the lid. And what happens?” Kris nods in Sehun’s direction.
“Um. The marshmallows all spill out?”
“Precisely. Because the outside of the box there are only the marshmallows on the table you spilled before, so there’s less gas molecules outside the box, and this is low atmospheric pressure. Air will flow from high atmospheric pressure to low atmospheric pressure.”
“Marshmallows flow from high marshmallow pressure to low marshmallow pressure.” Yixing adds.
“Yes. Correct.”
“But why marshmallows?” Sehun asks.
“I honestly couldn’t think of anything else.” Kris said, smiling a bit.
“How do you know all this, Kris?” Yixing pokes Kris in the arm.
“I did a semester of geography and we had to learn about how atmospheric pressure affected weather, and how weather affected migration and population change.”
“Geography, seriously?” Yixing says with a laugh.
“I had to choose an elective course and didn’t particularly fancy doing Public Health.” Kris replies, wrinkling his nose.
“Right…”
Sehun suddenly puts up his hand, “Hey guys? I thought this was about helping me understand my powers?”
Kris leans back further onto the bedside table, making it creak, “Yes, back to the issue at hand. So the powers have only manifested in the last 6 months?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re a late bloomer.” Yixing says with a snicker.
“I know. Unlike Jongin.” Sehun’s mouth curls up into a snarl, “He got his powers when we hit puberty.”
Kris leans forward, “Wait, am I missing something here? What has anything got to do with Kai?”
Sehun scoffs, “You mean your buddy Luhan didn’t tell you anything?”
“Was he meant to?” And Kris also turns to Yixing with his brows raised, but Yixing just shrugs and mouths a silent “I don’t know anything.”
“I grew up with Jongin. We’re from the same village. We’re the same age, we went to school together, our mothers are…” Sehun pauses, “our mothers were best friends… we did everything together…until…”
“Until?” Kris and Yixing said in unison.
“He got his powers and then he was like, the popular kid. Everyone loved him, no one cared about me… and he was appointed as a youth protector… like that guy would protect anyone but himself…”
Yixing sticks his hands underneath him and moves in closer to Sehun, “How did you survive the Elmacov massacre?”
“Elmacov?”
“It’s the anarchist group that… came into your village.” Kris replies.
Sehun throws a look of disgust in Kris’ direction. “They’re an actual established group?”
“Yeah, I assumed they were the ones that had to beat up when I found you outside the facility.”
Sehun shook his head, “Nah… they didn’t do anything to me. Not the day of the massacre… nor the day I ended up here.”
“Then do you know who beat you up?”
“Sure I do. It’s the reason why I’m here. Jongin did it.”
“…Why would he do such a thing? What can he gain by doing that?”
“He just hates me because I’m the only survivor of our village aside from him.”
Yixing cries out, “Shouldn’t he be happy that he still has a friend?”
“The hell he would. I’m a reminder that he abandoned his duties as a protector.” Sehun’s voice increases in volume, “You know, the day that group came into our village…I was home sick. The group… they came in from the east gate and hit the school first… They killed every single one of the kids in school…every single one of the teachers too. They spared no one. Except Jongin of course, only because he fled at the first sign of danger. He should’ve stayed at helped everyone escape…he could’ve done so much…but he didn’t. What kind of person wouldn’t use their powers to help people?”
“There are many people like that…” Kris says sadly, Yixing nodding beside him. “How did you find him again?”
“I followed his scent… Have you ever actually watched Jongin teleport?”
“Yeah a few times.” Kris nods.
“Every time he teleports, he leaves a wisp of dark smoke. I used to tell him that it was his soul burning when we were younger… The dark smoke has a very distinct smell. It was hard to track when he first left, but I figured he wouldn’t be that far from home… when I found him the first time…he teleported and I couldn’t find him for months, but then after my powers manifested…for some reason I could catch his scent so much easier…”
“You unconsciously manipulated the air to catch his scent probably.” Kris says.
“Yeah, probably. But yeah… I found him again a few times, and then lost him… and then the last time I found him was when he beat me up… I then followed his scent… and here I am.”
“So you’re here to exact your revenge on him?” Yixing butts in.
Sehun smirks, “Already done.”
Yixing cocks his head to the side, “Already?”
“Yeah. Thanks to Luhan.”
Kris heartbeat quickens at the mention of Luhan’s name. “How is Luhan involved in this?”
“I convinced your friend Luhan that he stole Jongin’s book.”
“When it was actually you who stole it…”
“Yeah. But it doesn’t matter either way, I stole it, claimed it as my own and stopped Jongin from teleporting.” Sehun says, proud of himself. “Plus I did your friend a favor. Jongin was giving him a hard time.”
Kris straightens up abruptly, walks to the end of the bed and pulls Sehun up by the collar of his shirt. “You seriously think you’re doing favors here? Do you know how messed up Luhan feels right now?” He shakes Sehun, “Do you?”
Kris feels a tug on the back of his shirt.
“Your pager is blinking.” Yixing says quietly.
With Sehun still held up by the collar, Kris curses and pushes Sehun down. He pulls the pager from his belt and turns it off.
“Got plans?” Sehun sneers.
“I have to go.” Kris says flatly, his hand twitching. And before he turns to leave he lands a right hook squarely into Sehun’s jaw. There’s a loud crack that resonates through the room as Kris’ fist connects with Sehun’s face. Kris fights the urge to spit on Sehun as he turns to exit the room.
“Lay, you take care of that. I probably broke something in there.” Kris says without turning back.
* * *
A slim figure stands outside the southern door of the holding bay where the decontamination booth sits. The light above the door flashes and the doors open. Kris walks out with his hair still wet from the showers and his decontaminated labcoat, freshly pressed, folded over his arm. Jongin’s book is tucked away in one of Kris’ lockers in the holding bay.
A woman’s voice takes Kris by surprise. “Took you long enough. I’ve been waiting forever.”
Kris turns back to the doors and smiles weakly. “Decontamination. And it’s nice to see you too, Yoona. It’s been a while.”
“Too long, Kris.” She replies warmly, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“So let’s get things moving.”
“Hold on, there’s no rush.”
“You chastise me for keeping you waiting and now you say there’s no rush?” Kris jests lightly.
Yoona rolls her eyes and shrugs, “Fine, do you want to head to the waiting room or…?”
“I think one of the consultation rooms in the South Wing would be better. I don’t want people accidentally walking in.”
“Okay, you lead the way then.” Yoona signals Kris to move down the corridor first.
Kris sticks his hands in his pant pockets and shuffles his feet quickly along the linoleum floor. Yoona quickens her pace beside him but has no trouble keeping up. He keeps his head down, only to glance up once or twice to check the distance between them as they walk.
“It pains you to have to call me, doesn’t it?” Yoona says softly.
“Is it that obvious?” Kris says with a wince.
“Actually no,” Yoona laughs, “You hide it well. Maybe it’s because you have that uncomfortable look on your face 24/7.” And she reaches up and ruffles Kris’s hair.
“Hey, watch the hair!”
Yoona ignores the dirty look Kris throws at her and pinches his cheek.
“You still treat me like a little brother.” Kris says, pulling away from Yoona, “You’re not that much older than me you know…”
“But still older.” She says with a wink.
Kris rubs his cheek and keeps walking.
“You okay Kris? You seem a little down.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? You know you can trust me.”
Kris doesn’t make eye contact with Yoona, “I know. But I didn’t call you here to talk.”
The long stretch of this linoleum-lined corridor is what makes up a majority of the walking distance required to get from the North Wing to the South Wing.
The Trident Rehabilitation Center is divided into 3 basic areas, the North Wing, East Wing and South Wing. The North Wing is where the Invalid cases are housed, along with the Rec room and part of the laboratory. The East wing consists of mainly the research and living quarters of the Carers, and the South Wing is a secured zone that is only occupied during the transportation and admittance of Invalid cases, new or old.
Kris opens the door to the consultation room right at the end of the south corridor before it bends into the secure zone of the South Wing, a musty smell wafts through the air. He feels around the next to the doorframe for the light switch and turns it on. The light flickers a few times before turning on, illuminating the room to show it’s humble furnishings.
The set up is somewhat similar to a clinical consultation room with a table, a chair for the clinician, a chair for the patient, a small leather 2-seater for any family or friends that may be there for moral support, and a bed propped up on steely legs, covered in blinding white linen.
Kris sinks into the leather 2-seater and notices a layer of dust that has formed on top of the arms.
“Don’t go anywhere.” Yoona says pointedly, behind the half open door.
“Wasn’t planning to.” Kris calls out after Yoona disappears.
Kris takes his finger and runs it along the arm of the couch, picking up the layer of dust. He rubs it between his thumb and forefinger before he blows it into the air. His eyes follow the dust particles through the air until something in his peripheral vision diverts his attention.
“You have no idea how surprised I was when I got the phone call from Yoona.” A young man with a kind face walked through the door, closing it behind him.
“Joonmyun.” Kris calls out.
He flashes a smile, “Kris, my old friend. It’s been a while since anyone has called me that.”
“Oh? What do they call you now?”
Joonmyun walks past Kris and leans onto the bed on the other side of the room.
“When I got sworn into the Elite circle, I got the name Suho.”
Kris lets out a dry laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Joonmyun asks defensively.
“Suho? Meaning guardian… doesn’t that sound super pretentious to you?”
Joomyeon chuckles lightly, “I did think that when I first got the name, but I like it now.”
“Of course you do…”
“Anyway, I know Yoona didn’t drag me all the way down here for nothing, so what can I do for you?” Joonmyun walks back across the room and sits down on one of the consultation chairs.
Kris hesitates and his face falls,
“I have a favor to ask you.”
a/n:
next chapter find out what favor kris has to ask of suho,
and see if suho actually willing to oblige.
please enjoy your stay at the trident rehabilitation facility,
take note how the second half of a man's life is made up of nothing
but the habits he has acquired during the first half.
so make it a habit to respect yourself
and that self-respect may compel others to respect you.
hi. read and leave comment? or tweet me @notochrasy
ps. lol went way over what i was aiming for in terms of word count this chapter, so i had to cut it there...cliffhanger once again hahahahahahahhaha. i hate cliffhangers :|