The White City (Chapter 2)
Title: The White City
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: supernatural, romance, sci-fi
Warnings: as of yet, just violence
Pairings: the main ones are: YunJae, YooSu
Summary: A futuristic world, where the only civilization is located in the White City (aka the City of Heaven). There is a rumour that the angels of God were sent down to protect and run this city, however they have never been seen in public. It is a flourishing world of 2 million people and there is no safer haven than this city. However, there is an underworld of evil, made to destroy the angels and take over this utopia. It is led by Rain, and he uses mind control over his followers. A dark world where no one is safe is breaking free, and the lead angel Boa, resorts to finding help in three White City celebrities, in hopes to bring peace to the only city before Rain triumphs and takes over.
Chapter 2
Jaejoong was sprawled out on the soft grass staring up at the darkening sky, with stray, thin, grey clouds drifting along. A flock of birds flew overhead. JYJ lived in a small house with a high fence that made it almost impossible to climb. They had to have that fence for just that reason; fans climbed onto the fence and snapped stalker pictures of them wandering around the house. But Jaejoong liked the privacy of the fence because then he was able to sit outside without being bothered. A glass of wine stood beside him, and a book rested on his chest. No, he wasn't one for reading, but it did pass the time when he had nothing to do. And now that JYJ was finished for the day he had a little time on his hands before bed. It was late, almost ten o'clock. Usually JYJ would be busy into the early hours of morning, but their manager decided to let them out earlier just because he was being nice. Junsu and Yoochun were watching TV inside, and Jaejoong was outside getting attacked by mosquitoes but hardly noticing them.
Something made him look towards the fence and what he saw made him gasp and sit up rapidly. A woman, with long, curly brown hair flowing down her shoulders and down her back. She had very smooth, pure features that had a heavenly look to them. Her brown eyes were peaceful, and her lips were curled in a thoughtful expression. She wore a knee-length white dress, and the wind ruffled her hair gently. She was perched on the fence and balanced there effortlessly. Jaejoong stared in awe and realized his mouth was hanging open so he quickly closed it. His eyes never left her.
“Kim Jaejoong,” she said, her voice soft. “Finally I can meet you
alone.”
Slowly Jaejoong picked himself up off the ground. He looked at her, the awe shaken out of him, and now curiosity replaced it. “Meet me? Who are you? A fan?” For some reason he doubted that as much.
“Oh, no I'm not a fan. Not in the sense you mean anyway,” she smiled, “I need to speak to you about something very important about the end of this civilization.”
Jaejoong was quiet for a moment, and the woman watched him patiently. She knew the questions that tumbled around his head even though he didn't speak them a loud. He didn't know what he should say anyway, except for the obvious: why would she want to talk to him about the end of the city? Shouldn't she go and speak to a government official?
“Can you elaborate please?” he said quietly. She could be just joking with him, except she looked dead serious.
“Of course. The last two million people left on this earth are in danger of being destroyed and I need your help to stop this from happening.”
“Right, the end of the human race. That was supposed to happen thirty years ago, and look where we are now. There may not be many humans left but we're still alive, so how can you expect me to believe all this? Science has improved technology and that bubble is holding out just fine.”
“It has nothing to do with what's going on outside the bubble, but what's going on inside. The human race is going to end because the White City will be destroyed in here first and then the bubble will be gone. No one will be able to survive that. But I have found a way to stop this and you are an important piece to protecting the city. In order to prove to you that I am being truthful I will show you what I mean.” She paused and looked at him intently. “You know the rumour that the White City is run by angels? It isn't just a rumour.”
As Jaejoong stood contemplating on calling the police or not, when the woman stood up on the fence and stared down at him. Nervously, Jaejoong stepped forward, convinced she was crazy and would fall over when there was a rustling sound and a dull shimmer developed around the woman. Something was bulging out from behind her and it took Jaejoong only a moment to realize exactly what those bulges were. Wings. Even though it was dark, Jaejoong knew they were white and pristine.
They were beautiful and big; over seven feet or longer. They were neat and clean, and made the woman all the more beautiful. She had the glimmer of a smile on her round lips, but Jaejoong was pretty sure it had nothing to do with her being happy. It was a bitter-sweet smile. Jaejoong was hooked now, but it came at a cost: his life.
Elegantly she drifted off the fence and landed a few feet in front of him. She was standing tall and proud, and Jaejoong felt a little intimidated by that graceful woman. In that moment he knew she held a lot of power.
“So, you're a...an angel?” he asked meekly. “I...I....”
Before the woman could say anything else, the back door opened and Junsu stepped out, illuminated by the kitchen light. Jaejoong didn't think the two of them had been loud but who knows.
“Hey, hyung did you fall asleep out here a...gain?”
Junsu's eyes widened as he took in the woman and Jaejoong standing a few feet from each other. Oh, and don't forget the massive white wings that were coming out of her back. Junsu stood there for a moment and rubbed his eyes as if hoping he would wake up from a crazy dream. Jaejoong looked from the woman to Junsu and then back again.
The woman, on the other hand, stood there calmly as if throwing out giant wings to random people was an every day event. She surveyed Junsu and then smiled that bitter-sweet smile once more. “This is Kim Junsu. Ah, and there's Park Yoochun right behind him. Excellent.”
Junsu and Jaejoong looked over to see Yoochun standing there, his eyes wider than they've ever been.
“What's going on? Who is that?” he asked nervously.
“My name is Boa, leader of the angels of the White City,” she said before anyone else could say anything. “I am here to ask for Jaejoong's help in saving the city from being destroyed.”
“Way to be subtle,” Jaejoong mumbled under his breath.
If Boa heard him she didn't say anything. Instead she continued. “But since you two are here, you can be of use as well. I need people with power, money and influence over the city and you have that. You may be just singers but your fans are united and loyal, they will listen to what you say. If the time comes I need you to spread the word about the city falling and get as many people into the shelters as possible.”
Junsu and Yoochun stared at her with looks of utter shock that they couldn't even speak when she looked at them. They both looked like they were having a hard time believing her, but the wings were convincing enough. They took this all silently but Jaejoong was having a hard time cooping with the sudden burden of information.
“There is a man, by the name of Rain, and he is a dangerous, powerful demon who is looking to replace the human race with his own species. The angels were the only things standing in his way but he's found a way to take us down and I am the only free angel left. There are eight of us, and seven of them are with Rain right now. Two of them are under his control, the other five are not. I don't know what is happening to those five...I just hope they are alright.”
Jaejoong was surprised to find that there was a crack in her voice and it sounded full of sorrow. She really cared about those angels, like a mother for her children.
“But what I need is the power over Changmin and Yunho to break and then we can win this war. That plan is already set into motion.”
She was staring intently at Jaejoong, who suddenly imagined the security guard. It had been a week since Jaejoong thought or seen the security guard so it was a shock. He had almost forgot about the stunning guard who stared at him with those intense eyes. He was so strong looking, so determined, but suddenly Jaejoong remembered the eyes and saw pain and anguish in them, something he hadn't been aware of before. The stare had been so intense that Jaejoong couldn't seen anything else until that moment. He looked over at Boa who was staring at him with a knowing look.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked quietly.
“Your role will appear to you soon enough Jaejoong,” she replied, “the wheel have already been set in motion. I am sorry for this, but you are all now involved in a war that I wish you weren't. When the time comes I will meet with you once more. Until then, Junsu, Yoochun, good luck. Jaejoong, you especially.”
“Wait!” Jaejoong blurted, “when's this all going to happen? The end of the White City and the human race?”
“I wish I could tell you but I do not know,” she admitted, “not for a while anyway. Rain cannot catch me as easily as he can the others so that'll hold him off as long as possible. I apologize but I must be going.”
Just like that, she was gone. JYJ stared at the spot she had been standing, and then slowly edged back into the house and slid the door shut behind them.
“Was that a dream?” Junsu asked, eyeing the door as if it would spontaneously blow off its hinges.
“If it was we all had the same dream...I don't think that's possible,” Yoochun replied. His voice was winded and quiet.
Jaejoong stood there silently, his thoughts racing and tumbling over each other. How come that woman just appeared out of nowhere and claiming them pawns in her game? It was random and unnerving, especially the part about Rain. If he was dangerous why would he want to get involved? He wasn't a hero, he was just a singer. He couldn't take down a demon and his army, or save any angels that might be able to stop Rain from taking over. And what if, after everything she said, it turns out to be a joke anyway? It could all just be one big hoax. The security guard's face popped into his head and he bit his lip nervously.
“I think I'm going to bed,” he said quietly.
“Shouldn't we talk about this though?” Junsu asked, looking at Yoochun. “This isn't something we can just lightly toss aside. I mean, she was talking about the end of the world hyung, the end of the freaking world!”
“The world already ended Junsu! Didn't they tell us there used to be around 6 billion people? Now look at us, there's only 2 million people left! It's not the end of the world...it's the end of the human population,” Jaejoong snapped. “But I can't talk about this right now! I don't know what she expects us to do, she gave us no information except what's going to happen! What is my role? She said it's going to appear, but when? When the city falls? Is that when? Junsu, I need time to digest this, I'm sorry. Good night.”
He turned away from Junsu and Yoochun and hurried to his room. Closing the door, he flipped the light off and then flopped onto his bed, still fully dressed. He couldn't sleep regardless, his brain was too wound up. He believed Boa, everything she said had to be true. But she didn't give them much to work with, considering she couldn't tell them when
everything was going to happen. Plus, what was Jaejoong's role? Did she even know, or was she just going to see how it all panned out?
Sighing in frustration, he rolled over onto his stomach and buried his head in his pillow. He wanted nothing more than sleep to come, and slowly it did. Jaejoong fell into dreamless sleep.
Out in the living room, Yoochun and Junsu were sitting on the couch. The TV was on, but they weren't watching it. They were sitting close, Yoochun wrapping his arm around Junsu comfortingly, and Junsu was snuggled in close to Yoochun. Junsu was staring absently at the glass of wine in his hands, and Yoochun was watching the screen though not following the story or characters on the show.
“You think it's all true?” Junsu asked suddenly.
Shrugging Yoochun scratched his cheek, and kissed the top of his lover's head. “I don't know Su. I don't know how it could be, but who knows, she looked pretty serious. They told us the when the planet was dying they said that the toxicity was suffocating to all forms of life. This bubble is the strong enough to withstand that. If it's really
that toxic out there then this is incredibly powerful technology. I don't think one man will be able to tear it down.”
“Yeah, I guess so. But she said he was magical....”
“Don't worry about this right now love,” Yoochun said, smiling, “tomorrow we'll talk to Jaejoong hyung and get it straightened out. For now, let's watch some TV.”
Junsu twisted around and put his lips up to Yoochun's. “Or we can do something else.”
Smiling, Yoochun pulled Junsu onto his lap and shook his head. “You know I never say no to that.”
They kissed each other again, this time more passionately and then slowly made their way to their bedroom.
The next morning Jaejoong woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, a huge breakfast it seems. Opening his eyes, he glanced up and through the blinds he saw a bright sunny day. The White City seemed to be having a good summer. Hardly any rain or cold spells. The weather was usually controlled by a system in one of the government buildings outside of town. It was self-regulatory and matched to the weather system before the world ended. Sometimes it malfunctioned and winter was only a day, or for an entire year. Whatever happened though, the bubble itself never crashed.
Sliding out of bed, Jaejoong drifted out into the kitchen, moving more by smell than by consciousness. Junsu was munching on some crunchy bacon and watching the news, while Yoochun was the one doing all the cooking. Internally grateful that it was Yoochun cooking and Junsu, Jaejoong sat across from the younger man and wished him a good morning.
“Hyung! Are you excited for today?” Junsu asked excitedly, “it's the reunion of when the world ended and we have that concert to perform in memory of the dead!”
“That's exciting?” Yoochun scoffed, shaking his head. He put some pancakes on a plate. “You are seriously morbid.”
“No, it's not that,” Junsu said, sobering up quickly, “I'm just excited to be a part of the ceremony. This is the first year JYJ gets to perform in this amazing ceremony.”
“Yeah I completely forgot about that. I guess this is an honour,” Jaejoong nodded.
Yoochun sat down and they all dug into breakfast. They sat in silence, eating the wonderful breakfast. Thankfully it was Yoochun who decided to cook breakfast and not Junsu. Junsu couldn't cook to save his life and the last time he did Jaejoong wound up with food poisoning and Yoochun had stomach pains for a week. Junsu never touched a frying pan or pot since then.
“So...hyung...can we talk about last night?” the horrible cook asked timidly.
His partner looked up expectantly but quickly looked down and continued eating. Jaejoong put his fork and knife down and bit his lip.
“Um...yeah, sure.”
“So, we discussed it a bit and I don't think we should trust this Boa character,” Yoochun said slowly. “It's so random and it's hard to believe that the bubble could fail. This bubble is strong enough towithstand whatever's happening outside of here.”
“Angels have been rumoured to be the true controllers of the White City, and now that one actually appears to us-of all people, us-how can we just be on board with this so easily?” Junsu piped up.
“I'm not saying I fully believe her either,” Jaejoong said, “but what if it happens? What if this Rain guy actually manages to destroy the bubble? Then the last 2 million people all die? I don't know what to believe right now, but I'd like not to risk it.”
“But what can we do? We're just singers,” Yoochun argued, “we're not superheroes.”
“No, we're wealthy,” Jaejoong pointed out, “wealth and power over the people is what Boa said she needed right? We have the power to help save these people whether we go up against this Rain guy or not.”
Junsu and Yoochun paused for a moment to consider this argument but then Yoochun spoke up. “I don't know hyung...it's still seems kind of odd....”
“We don't have to do anything. Not yet anyway. If Boa was being honest then she'll come to us when the time comes,” Jaejoong said, shrugging his shoulders. “So let's do that. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't. If it does, then we'll have to deal with it then.”
A knock on the door jumped them all out of the intense conversation and they all gave each other a nervous look. Slowly Jaejoong approached the door and opened it cautiously. Their manager usually called before he came over but no one else really came to the house. Regardless he opened the door and poked his head around it and gasped.
The young man, wearing the same security uniform was standing there looking around and checking out the surroundings. When he heard the door open he jumped and his eyes widened in complete shock when he saw who opened it. Jaejoong and the young man stood there for a moment, locked in each other's stare, before someone coughed behind the young man, making Jaejoong jump. It was JYJ's manager and he was staring curiously at his celebrity and the security guard.
“Uh...um you didn't call,” Jaejoong said quickly, shooting a quick glance at the security guard.
“No, but do I have to call all the time?” his manager shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you guys. So...can we come in?”
Nodding, Jaejoong stepped out of the way to let the other two men in and looked uneasily at the handsome security guard as he entered the house. Yoochun and Junsu were leaning in the living room archway watching with interest. They saw their manager and the security, and their looked turned from interest to curiosity and worry.
“What brings you here hyung?” Yoochun asked, “and who's this?”
“Ah, right down to business I see,” their manager smiled. “This is Jung Yunho, a security guard with a lot of experience. I think it's time you get a guard, seeing as your fame is getting bigger and the amount of anti-fans are growing as well. I don't want to risk any incident so I'm preparing for whatever may happen. For now we'll hire only Yunho, and if we need to we'll hire more.”
He looked proudly at Yunho, who smiled slightly back. Again Jaejoong noticed the pained look in the guard's eyes, and he wanted to know how they came to be full of so much sadness.
“I wanted to introduce you to him, but he'll be starting this evening when we go to the End of the World event. So Yunho, you're free to go, and I'll be back in a couple of hours to pick you guys up for rehearsal. Goodbye.”
Jaejoong kept his eyes on Yunho's receding back and was still staring at the door long after he had gone. Junsu and Yoochun had moved back in to the kitchen and Jaejoong went into the living room and flipped on the TV. He slumped onto the couch and threw an arm over his eyes and listened to the voices on the screen. But all he could think of was the
security guard. Jung Yunho.
☪
Yunho leaned against the wall of the building, waiting for Changmin to get out of work. His thoughts were completely wrapped up in what had happened in the morning. He hadn't forgot about Jaejoong or the words Boa had said to him. And what do you know? The next job he had was a personal guard for JYJ. JYJ...and Jaejoong was part of that group. And guess who opened the door? The beautiful, milky-skinned, young man poked his head around the door. The surprise that went through Yunho was unexpected and it seemed it was the same for Jaejoong. They were alone when they were looking at each other, and Yunho couldn't stop thinking about him the entire morning. He kept watching Jaejoong out of the corner of his eye, and excitement coursed through him when he realized that he was going to be a guard for him. Clearly Jaejoong felt the same way, because as Yunho was leaving the house he could feel the other man's eyes on him the whole time. Now he still couldn't help think of him and his knew job.
Changmin left his work and crossed the street as per usual. He was tall and very lean, but in an stunning way. He had short cropped hair, with round brown eyes and dark skin. His suit was tailored perfectly, making his legs seem longer and sculpted to his torso flatteringly. He came up to his brother and smiled slightly. Without a word, Yunho led Changmin deeper into the alleyway and when they were in the darkest part did he stop and turn to the younger man.
“You don't have to come you know,” he said softly, “they won't be offended.”
“Don't worry about me,” Changmin said determinedly, “I have to see them at least once more. They need to know that we still care about them. Both of us do.”
Nodding his head, Yunho turned to the blank, brick wall and closed his eyes. The wall made a shuddering sound and it blurred slightly. Changmin stood stalk still beside his hyung but his eyes were nervous. They weren't supposed to be doing this. If they were caught who knows what would happen. Yunho extended his hands and placed them on the blurry wall, and pushed gently. The sound of heavy doors grated against the ground and the wall looked like it caved in on itself.
A dark hallway stretched out before them, and silently Yunho stepped inside, and Changmin quickly followed before the door closed on him. They moved deeper into the hallway, Changmin's heart pounding against his chest. He hated this, considering how they never knew when Rain would check in on them. Thankfully he never came into their jobs, but he always seemed to know when they were finished. Yunho had hoped that if Changmin randomly left sick it would throw Rain off long enough to sneak in and see them. Changmin prayed that the plan would work.
Suddenly they came into a clearing but it wasn't empty. What was in it made Changmin's and Yunho's hearts surge as they came forward into the dimly lit area. There were five cages spread out around the room, all occupied. Five boys, younger than Changmin and Yunho, sat in the cages looking dejected and hopeless. All five of them had black, shiny wings that spread out from their backs. They were too big to stretch out entirely, so they seemed rather stiff and limp. The wings draped almost protectively over each of the boys and they all glanced up in unison when they heard Changmin and Yunho enter.
“Hyungs....” one of them said, and hope filled his voice. “You came.”
“We had to see you, Jonghyun,” Yunho said.
His voice was strong, but his eyes were filled with sorrow, and anger. Changmin knew he was angry at himself for letting this happen; he felt the same way. He came forward and rested a hand on the bars of one of the boys and smiled at him. The boy was young, with boyish features and innocent eyes. He was skinny and he looked up at his hyung desperately.
“It's okay Taemin, we'll set you all free soon,” Changmin assured him quietly, “we won't let you suffer much longer.”
Taemin stretched his fingers through the steel bars and pressed them against Changmin's. Taemin never spoke, he had always been mute, though no one knew why. But he didn't need to say anything, his eyes told everything.
“Boa is still safe?” one of the others said.
Yunho nodded. “Yes, Onew, she is. And she will be for as long as we can hold off attacking her. We'll get you out and then we can take back our city once and for all.”
Changmin and Yunho looked at their brothers with hurt hearts but a sound down the hall caught their attention and they froze. Giggling and singing was heard but that was all they needed to know who it was. Rain's witches were coming. The five angels in the cages all looked afraid while Yunho and Changmin tried to find a way out. They wouldn't be able to walk out the hallway, so they'd have to use magic. Magic was always a risk because Rain monitored their magic. It's what he used to control them.
“Okay, meet me at the mall in ten minutes,” Yunho muttered.
The singing and giggling drew closer as Changmin nodded and with one regretful look back at his caged brothers, he closed his eyes and was gone. Yunho too looked at them before he disappeared as well.
He appeared in the busy, hustling mall, and sighed in relief. A few feet away Changmin sitting on a bench, his head in his hands and Yunho slowly made his way over to him. He sat down and wrapped an arm around his brother comfortingly and sighed.
“If Boa has a plan I'm sure it'll work out,” he said reassuringly. “We have to be brave...for them.”
Changmin nodded his head quietly, but kept his head in his hands all the same. Now, Boa's plan just had to work for them to be free of this guilt and the invisible chains.
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: supernatural, romance, sci-fi
Warnings: as of yet, just violence
Pairings: the main ones are: YunJae, YooSu
Summary: A futuristic world, where the only civilization is located in the White City (aka the City of Heaven). There is a rumour that the angels of God were sent down to protect and run this city, however they have never been seen in public. It is a flourishing world of 2 million people and there is no safer haven than this city. However, there is an underworld of evil, made to destroy the angels and take over this utopia. It is led by Rain, and he uses mind control over his followers. A dark world where no one is safe is breaking free, and the lead angel Boa, resorts to finding help in three White City celebrities, in hopes to bring peace to the only city before Rain triumphs and takes over.
Chapter 2
Jaejoong was sprawled out on the soft grass staring up at the darkening sky, with stray, thin, grey clouds drifting along. A flock of birds flew overhead. JYJ lived in a small house with a high fence that made it almost impossible to climb. They had to have that fence for just that reason; fans climbed onto the fence and snapped stalker pictures of them wandering around the house. But Jaejoong liked the privacy of the fence because then he was able to sit outside without being bothered. A glass of wine stood beside him, and a book rested on his chest. No, he wasn't one for reading, but it did pass the time when he had nothing to do. And now that JYJ was finished for the day he had a little time on his hands before bed. It was late, almost ten o'clock. Usually JYJ would be busy into the early hours of morning, but their manager decided to let them out earlier just because he was being nice. Junsu and Yoochun were watching TV inside, and Jaejoong was outside getting attacked by mosquitoes but hardly noticing them.
Something made him look towards the fence and what he saw made him gasp and sit up rapidly. A woman, with long, curly brown hair flowing down her shoulders and down her back. She had very smooth, pure features that had a heavenly look to them. Her brown eyes were peaceful, and her lips were curled in a thoughtful expression. She wore a knee-length white dress, and the wind ruffled her hair gently. She was perched on the fence and balanced there effortlessly. Jaejoong stared in awe and realized his mouth was hanging open so he quickly closed it. His eyes never left her.
“Kim Jaejoong,” she said, her voice soft. “Finally I can meet you
alone.”
Slowly Jaejoong picked himself up off the ground. He looked at her, the awe shaken out of him, and now curiosity replaced it. “Meet me? Who are you? A fan?” For some reason he doubted that as much.
“Oh, no I'm not a fan. Not in the sense you mean anyway,” she smiled, “I need to speak to you about something very important about the end of this civilization.”
Jaejoong was quiet for a moment, and the woman watched him patiently. She knew the questions that tumbled around his head even though he didn't speak them a loud. He didn't know what he should say anyway, except for the obvious: why would she want to talk to him about the end of the city? Shouldn't she go and speak to a government official?
“Can you elaborate please?” he said quietly. She could be just joking with him, except she looked dead serious.
“Of course. The last two million people left on this earth are in danger of being destroyed and I need your help to stop this from happening.”
“Right, the end of the human race. That was supposed to happen thirty years ago, and look where we are now. There may not be many humans left but we're still alive, so how can you expect me to believe all this? Science has improved technology and that bubble is holding out just fine.”
“It has nothing to do with what's going on outside the bubble, but what's going on inside. The human race is going to end because the White City will be destroyed in here first and then the bubble will be gone. No one will be able to survive that. But I have found a way to stop this and you are an important piece to protecting the city. In order to prove to you that I am being truthful I will show you what I mean.” She paused and looked at him intently. “You know the rumour that the White City is run by angels? It isn't just a rumour.”
As Jaejoong stood contemplating on calling the police or not, when the woman stood up on the fence and stared down at him. Nervously, Jaejoong stepped forward, convinced she was crazy and would fall over when there was a rustling sound and a dull shimmer developed around the woman. Something was bulging out from behind her and it took Jaejoong only a moment to realize exactly what those bulges were. Wings. Even though it was dark, Jaejoong knew they were white and pristine.
They were beautiful and big; over seven feet or longer. They were neat and clean, and made the woman all the more beautiful. She had the glimmer of a smile on her round lips, but Jaejoong was pretty sure it had nothing to do with her being happy. It was a bitter-sweet smile. Jaejoong was hooked now, but it came at a cost: his life.
Elegantly she drifted off the fence and landed a few feet in front of him. She was standing tall and proud, and Jaejoong felt a little intimidated by that graceful woman. In that moment he knew she held a lot of power.
“So, you're a...an angel?” he asked meekly. “I...I....”
Before the woman could say anything else, the back door opened and Junsu stepped out, illuminated by the kitchen light. Jaejoong didn't think the two of them had been loud but who knows.
“Hey, hyung did you fall asleep out here a...gain?”
Junsu's eyes widened as he took in the woman and Jaejoong standing a few feet from each other. Oh, and don't forget the massive white wings that were coming out of her back. Junsu stood there for a moment and rubbed his eyes as if hoping he would wake up from a crazy dream. Jaejoong looked from the woman to Junsu and then back again.
The woman, on the other hand, stood there calmly as if throwing out giant wings to random people was an every day event. She surveyed Junsu and then smiled that bitter-sweet smile once more. “This is Kim Junsu. Ah, and there's Park Yoochun right behind him. Excellent.”
Junsu and Jaejoong looked over to see Yoochun standing there, his eyes wider than they've ever been.
“What's going on? Who is that?” he asked nervously.
“My name is Boa, leader of the angels of the White City,” she said before anyone else could say anything. “I am here to ask for Jaejoong's help in saving the city from being destroyed.”
“Way to be subtle,” Jaejoong mumbled under his breath.
If Boa heard him she didn't say anything. Instead she continued. “But since you two are here, you can be of use as well. I need people with power, money and influence over the city and you have that. You may be just singers but your fans are united and loyal, they will listen to what you say. If the time comes I need you to spread the word about the city falling and get as many people into the shelters as possible.”
Junsu and Yoochun stared at her with looks of utter shock that they couldn't even speak when she looked at them. They both looked like they were having a hard time believing her, but the wings were convincing enough. They took this all silently but Jaejoong was having a hard time cooping with the sudden burden of information.
“There is a man, by the name of Rain, and he is a dangerous, powerful demon who is looking to replace the human race with his own species. The angels were the only things standing in his way but he's found a way to take us down and I am the only free angel left. There are eight of us, and seven of them are with Rain right now. Two of them are under his control, the other five are not. I don't know what is happening to those five...I just hope they are alright.”
Jaejoong was surprised to find that there was a crack in her voice and it sounded full of sorrow. She really cared about those angels, like a mother for her children.
“But what I need is the power over Changmin and Yunho to break and then we can win this war. That plan is already set into motion.”
She was staring intently at Jaejoong, who suddenly imagined the security guard. It had been a week since Jaejoong thought or seen the security guard so it was a shock. He had almost forgot about the stunning guard who stared at him with those intense eyes. He was so strong looking, so determined, but suddenly Jaejoong remembered the eyes and saw pain and anguish in them, something he hadn't been aware of before. The stare had been so intense that Jaejoong couldn't seen anything else until that moment. He looked over at Boa who was staring at him with a knowing look.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked quietly.
“Your role will appear to you soon enough Jaejoong,” she replied, “the wheel have already been set in motion. I am sorry for this, but you are all now involved in a war that I wish you weren't. When the time comes I will meet with you once more. Until then, Junsu, Yoochun, good luck. Jaejoong, you especially.”
“Wait!” Jaejoong blurted, “when's this all going to happen? The end of the White City and the human race?”
“I wish I could tell you but I do not know,” she admitted, “not for a while anyway. Rain cannot catch me as easily as he can the others so that'll hold him off as long as possible. I apologize but I must be going.”
Just like that, she was gone. JYJ stared at the spot she had been standing, and then slowly edged back into the house and slid the door shut behind them.
“Was that a dream?” Junsu asked, eyeing the door as if it would spontaneously blow off its hinges.
“If it was we all had the same dream...I don't think that's possible,” Yoochun replied. His voice was winded and quiet.
Jaejoong stood there silently, his thoughts racing and tumbling over each other. How come that woman just appeared out of nowhere and claiming them pawns in her game? It was random and unnerving, especially the part about Rain. If he was dangerous why would he want to get involved? He wasn't a hero, he was just a singer. He couldn't take down a demon and his army, or save any angels that might be able to stop Rain from taking over. And what if, after everything she said, it turns out to be a joke anyway? It could all just be one big hoax. The security guard's face popped into his head and he bit his lip nervously.
“I think I'm going to bed,” he said quietly.
“Shouldn't we talk about this though?” Junsu asked, looking at Yoochun. “This isn't something we can just lightly toss aside. I mean, she was talking about the end of the world hyung, the end of the freaking world!”
“The world already ended Junsu! Didn't they tell us there used to be around 6 billion people? Now look at us, there's only 2 million people left! It's not the end of the world...it's the end of the human population,” Jaejoong snapped. “But I can't talk about this right now! I don't know what she expects us to do, she gave us no information except what's going to happen! What is my role? She said it's going to appear, but when? When the city falls? Is that when? Junsu, I need time to digest this, I'm sorry. Good night.”
He turned away from Junsu and Yoochun and hurried to his room. Closing the door, he flipped the light off and then flopped onto his bed, still fully dressed. He couldn't sleep regardless, his brain was too wound up. He believed Boa, everything she said had to be true. But she didn't give them much to work with, considering she couldn't tell them when
everything was going to happen. Plus, what was Jaejoong's role? Did she even know, or was she just going to see how it all panned out?
Sighing in frustration, he rolled over onto his stomach and buried his head in his pillow. He wanted nothing more than sleep to come, and slowly it did. Jaejoong fell into dreamless sleep.
Out in the living room, Yoochun and Junsu were sitting on the couch. The TV was on, but they weren't watching it. They were sitting close, Yoochun wrapping his arm around Junsu comfortingly, and Junsu was snuggled in close to Yoochun. Junsu was staring absently at the glass of wine in his hands, and Yoochun was watching the screen though not following the story or characters on the show.
“You think it's all true?” Junsu asked suddenly.
Shrugging Yoochun scratched his cheek, and kissed the top of his lover's head. “I don't know Su. I don't know how it could be, but who knows, she looked pretty serious. They told us the when the planet was dying they said that the toxicity was suffocating to all forms of life. This bubble is the strong enough to withstand that. If it's really
that toxic out there then this is incredibly powerful technology. I don't think one man will be able to tear it down.”
“Yeah, I guess so. But she said he was magical....”
“Don't worry about this right now love,” Yoochun said, smiling, “tomorrow we'll talk to Jaejoong hyung and get it straightened out. For now, let's watch some TV.”
Junsu twisted around and put his lips up to Yoochun's. “Or we can do something else.”
Smiling, Yoochun pulled Junsu onto his lap and shook his head. “You know I never say no to that.”
They kissed each other again, this time more passionately and then slowly made their way to their bedroom.
The next morning Jaejoong woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, a huge breakfast it seems. Opening his eyes, he glanced up and through the blinds he saw a bright sunny day. The White City seemed to be having a good summer. Hardly any rain or cold spells. The weather was usually controlled by a system in one of the government buildings outside of town. It was self-regulatory and matched to the weather system before the world ended. Sometimes it malfunctioned and winter was only a day, or for an entire year. Whatever happened though, the bubble itself never crashed.
Sliding out of bed, Jaejoong drifted out into the kitchen, moving more by smell than by consciousness. Junsu was munching on some crunchy bacon and watching the news, while Yoochun was the one doing all the cooking. Internally grateful that it was Yoochun cooking and Junsu, Jaejoong sat across from the younger man and wished him a good morning.
“Hyung! Are you excited for today?” Junsu asked excitedly, “it's the reunion of when the world ended and we have that concert to perform in memory of the dead!”
“That's exciting?” Yoochun scoffed, shaking his head. He put some pancakes on a plate. “You are seriously morbid.”
“No, it's not that,” Junsu said, sobering up quickly, “I'm just excited to be a part of the ceremony. This is the first year JYJ gets to perform in this amazing ceremony.”
“Yeah I completely forgot about that. I guess this is an honour,” Jaejoong nodded.
Yoochun sat down and they all dug into breakfast. They sat in silence, eating the wonderful breakfast. Thankfully it was Yoochun who decided to cook breakfast and not Junsu. Junsu couldn't cook to save his life and the last time he did Jaejoong wound up with food poisoning and Yoochun had stomach pains for a week. Junsu never touched a frying pan or pot since then.
“So...hyung...can we talk about last night?” the horrible cook asked timidly.
His partner looked up expectantly but quickly looked down and continued eating. Jaejoong put his fork and knife down and bit his lip.
“Um...yeah, sure.”
“So, we discussed it a bit and I don't think we should trust this Boa character,” Yoochun said slowly. “It's so random and it's hard to believe that the bubble could fail. This bubble is strong enough towithstand whatever's happening outside of here.”
“Angels have been rumoured to be the true controllers of the White City, and now that one actually appears to us-of all people, us-how can we just be on board with this so easily?” Junsu piped up.
“I'm not saying I fully believe her either,” Jaejoong said, “but what if it happens? What if this Rain guy actually manages to destroy the bubble? Then the last 2 million people all die? I don't know what to believe right now, but I'd like not to risk it.”
“But what can we do? We're just singers,” Yoochun argued, “we're not superheroes.”
“No, we're wealthy,” Jaejoong pointed out, “wealth and power over the people is what Boa said she needed right? We have the power to help save these people whether we go up against this Rain guy or not.”
Junsu and Yoochun paused for a moment to consider this argument but then Yoochun spoke up. “I don't know hyung...it's still seems kind of odd....”
“We don't have to do anything. Not yet anyway. If Boa was being honest then she'll come to us when the time comes,” Jaejoong said, shrugging his shoulders. “So let's do that. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't. If it does, then we'll have to deal with it then.”
A knock on the door jumped them all out of the intense conversation and they all gave each other a nervous look. Slowly Jaejoong approached the door and opened it cautiously. Their manager usually called before he came over but no one else really came to the house. Regardless he opened the door and poked his head around it and gasped.
The young man, wearing the same security uniform was standing there looking around and checking out the surroundings. When he heard the door open he jumped and his eyes widened in complete shock when he saw who opened it. Jaejoong and the young man stood there for a moment, locked in each other's stare, before someone coughed behind the young man, making Jaejoong jump. It was JYJ's manager and he was staring curiously at his celebrity and the security guard.
“Uh...um you didn't call,” Jaejoong said quickly, shooting a quick glance at the security guard.
“No, but do I have to call all the time?” his manager shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you guys. So...can we come in?”
Nodding, Jaejoong stepped out of the way to let the other two men in and looked uneasily at the handsome security guard as he entered the house. Yoochun and Junsu were leaning in the living room archway watching with interest. They saw their manager and the security, and their looked turned from interest to curiosity and worry.
“What brings you here hyung?” Yoochun asked, “and who's this?”
“Ah, right down to business I see,” their manager smiled. “This is Jung Yunho, a security guard with a lot of experience. I think it's time you get a guard, seeing as your fame is getting bigger and the amount of anti-fans are growing as well. I don't want to risk any incident so I'm preparing for whatever may happen. For now we'll hire only Yunho, and if we need to we'll hire more.”
He looked proudly at Yunho, who smiled slightly back. Again Jaejoong noticed the pained look in the guard's eyes, and he wanted to know how they came to be full of so much sadness.
“I wanted to introduce you to him, but he'll be starting this evening when we go to the End of the World event. So Yunho, you're free to go, and I'll be back in a couple of hours to pick you guys up for rehearsal. Goodbye.”
Jaejoong kept his eyes on Yunho's receding back and was still staring at the door long after he had gone. Junsu and Yoochun had moved back in to the kitchen and Jaejoong went into the living room and flipped on the TV. He slumped onto the couch and threw an arm over his eyes and listened to the voices on the screen. But all he could think of was the
security guard. Jung Yunho.
☪
Yunho leaned against the wall of the building, waiting for Changmin to get out of work. His thoughts were completely wrapped up in what had happened in the morning. He hadn't forgot about Jaejoong or the words Boa had said to him. And what do you know? The next job he had was a personal guard for JYJ. JYJ...and Jaejoong was part of that group. And guess who opened the door? The beautiful, milky-skinned, young man poked his head around the door. The surprise that went through Yunho was unexpected and it seemed it was the same for Jaejoong. They were alone when they were looking at each other, and Yunho couldn't stop thinking about him the entire morning. He kept watching Jaejoong out of the corner of his eye, and excitement coursed through him when he realized that he was going to be a guard for him. Clearly Jaejoong felt the same way, because as Yunho was leaving the house he could feel the other man's eyes on him the whole time. Now he still couldn't help think of him and his knew job.
Changmin left his work and crossed the street as per usual. He was tall and very lean, but in an stunning way. He had short cropped hair, with round brown eyes and dark skin. His suit was tailored perfectly, making his legs seem longer and sculpted to his torso flatteringly. He came up to his brother and smiled slightly. Without a word, Yunho led Changmin deeper into the alleyway and when they were in the darkest part did he stop and turn to the younger man.
“You don't have to come you know,” he said softly, “they won't be offended.”
“Don't worry about me,” Changmin said determinedly, “I have to see them at least once more. They need to know that we still care about them. Both of us do.”
Nodding his head, Yunho turned to the blank, brick wall and closed his eyes. The wall made a shuddering sound and it blurred slightly. Changmin stood stalk still beside his hyung but his eyes were nervous. They weren't supposed to be doing this. If they were caught who knows what would happen. Yunho extended his hands and placed them on the blurry wall, and pushed gently. The sound of heavy doors grated against the ground and the wall looked like it caved in on itself.
A dark hallway stretched out before them, and silently Yunho stepped inside, and Changmin quickly followed before the door closed on him. They moved deeper into the hallway, Changmin's heart pounding against his chest. He hated this, considering how they never knew when Rain would check in on them. Thankfully he never came into their jobs, but he always seemed to know when they were finished. Yunho had hoped that if Changmin randomly left sick it would throw Rain off long enough to sneak in and see them. Changmin prayed that the plan would work.
Suddenly they came into a clearing but it wasn't empty. What was in it made Changmin's and Yunho's hearts surge as they came forward into the dimly lit area. There were five cages spread out around the room, all occupied. Five boys, younger than Changmin and Yunho, sat in the cages looking dejected and hopeless. All five of them had black, shiny wings that spread out from their backs. They were too big to stretch out entirely, so they seemed rather stiff and limp. The wings draped almost protectively over each of the boys and they all glanced up in unison when they heard Changmin and Yunho enter.
“Hyungs....” one of them said, and hope filled his voice. “You came.”
“We had to see you, Jonghyun,” Yunho said.
His voice was strong, but his eyes were filled with sorrow, and anger. Changmin knew he was angry at himself for letting this happen; he felt the same way. He came forward and rested a hand on the bars of one of the boys and smiled at him. The boy was young, with boyish features and innocent eyes. He was skinny and he looked up at his hyung desperately.
“It's okay Taemin, we'll set you all free soon,” Changmin assured him quietly, “we won't let you suffer much longer.”
Taemin stretched his fingers through the steel bars and pressed them against Changmin's. Taemin never spoke, he had always been mute, though no one knew why. But he didn't need to say anything, his eyes told everything.
“Boa is still safe?” one of the others said.
Yunho nodded. “Yes, Onew, she is. And she will be for as long as we can hold off attacking her. We'll get you out and then we can take back our city once and for all.”
Changmin and Yunho looked at their brothers with hurt hearts but a sound down the hall caught their attention and they froze. Giggling and singing was heard but that was all they needed to know who it was. Rain's witches were coming. The five angels in the cages all looked afraid while Yunho and Changmin tried to find a way out. They wouldn't be able to walk out the hallway, so they'd have to use magic. Magic was always a risk because Rain monitored their magic. It's what he used to control them.
“Okay, meet me at the mall in ten minutes,” Yunho muttered.
The singing and giggling drew closer as Changmin nodded and with one regretful look back at his caged brothers, he closed his eyes and was gone. Yunho too looked at them before he disappeared as well.
He appeared in the busy, hustling mall, and sighed in relief. A few feet away Changmin sitting on a bench, his head in his hands and Yunho slowly made his way over to him. He sat down and wrapped an arm around his brother comfortingly and sighed.
“If Boa has a plan I'm sure it'll work out,” he said reassuringly. “We have to be brave...for them.”
Changmin nodded his head quietly, but kept his head in his hands all the same. Now, Boa's plan just had to work for them to be free of this guilt and the invisible chains.