Spirits and Sidewalks 3/7
TITLE Spirits and Sidewalks 3/7
SUMMARY Jonghyun's just an unfortunate kid. Kibum's just a lost spirit.
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS [SHINee] Jonghyun/Key.
RATING/WARNING PG-13.
GENRE Fantasy/Romance
( 1) ( 2)
AN: In which there is a lot of Jongyu interaction. :3
spirits and sidewalks;
Come lunch, Jonghyun was bombarded before he could escape to the roof. It had been nearly a week since the incident and apparently that was enough time for him to move on before all the nosy students demanded details.
"So?" went one very tall girl, the leader of the school newspaper. "What went down?" Two of her friends were leaning over his desk, eyes inquisitive.
"Go into detail!" One of the boys demanded rudely.
"They were your classmates too," Jinki cut in, face disapproving.
"That's why we're curious!" Chimed another student. Amidst it all, Jonghyun somehow managed to catch Kibum's gaze from across the room. His stare was intense and close to mocking; highly curious of what Jonghyun would say.
Jonghyun had half a mind to tell them the truth, if only to get them off his back and to see the affect it had on Kibum, but instead he relayed the same information he gave the police, nothing more, nothing less, and forced his way out of the small crowd, finally escaping to the roof.
He spent the rest of the day up there, headphones silencing the gusty wind that had picked up around him with music, scribbling random lyrics and doodles into his physics notebook and willing time to go just a tick faster. The final bell did seem to ring a few minutes earlier than usual, and Jonghyun wondered if he had pulled off one of Jinki's spells. It didn't hurt to imagine. He stood, peering over the railing to watch the students file out into the courtyard in twos, threes, groups of friends, their bustling and shouting resounding throughout the campus. He caught sight of Jinki clad in his white archer's uniform and walking with a few similarly dressed classmates, all carrying long hornbows. He kept his eye on them until they turned around the corner before he grabbed his bag, dashing down the stairs to catch them up.
"Jinki!" He shouted just as they were entering the dojo. "I think I want to learn."
The taller boy beside Jinki looked down at Jonghyun with wide, affronted eyes. "What's making you take interest now, Jonghyun?"
Jonghyun frowned back at his friend. "I don't know. I guess your incessant nagging finally won me over." When he thought about it, it was probably because of Jinki-not that it was any more of a valid reason. His simple reply hadn't seemed to resonate well with Minho, however.
Jinki stepped beside Jonghyun with a mischievous grin. "Watch this." He whispered. Jonghyun didn't know what to look for, but he did see the disagreeing face Minho had been making change into an affable smile.
"Sure." Minho said, "It's about time you finally caved. Let Jinki show you to the lockers. You can borrow gear and a bow, but you'll need to buy your own as soon as you can."
Jonghyun followed after Jinki into the room behind the targets, nearly bumping into him because he was distracted by watching the others practice.
"Where'd you disappear to earlier?" Jinki asked, handing Jonghyun his bow while he crouched down to de-box a uniform.
"I'm highly curious as well," another familiar voice piped in. "Where did you disappear to, Jonghyun?" Kibum was sitting on a pile of boxes and broken targets, one leg primly crossed over the other.
Jonghyun took the gimmick Jinki offered him. "Why?" He said. "Are you used to my company already?"
"I admit." Kibum replied caustically, hopping off his impromptu seat. He circled both Jonghyun and Jinki, stopping in front of the blond and reaching out to touch Jinki's bow. They locked eyes when Kibum ran his agile, long fingers along the curved weapon as if it were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Then he smirked, drawing away. "I wish you'd stop glaring at me like that." He said to Jinki. "For one, you're chasing the wrong culprit. For two," Kibum pointed at Jonghyun, "All the wrong, wrong reasons."
Jinki pushed the livery into Jonghyun's arms, ignoring Kibum resolutely. "We have to warm up first," he said to Jonghyun. Jinki lead him out to one of the three unused targets at the far end, bowing as he entered the jung, Jonghyun mimicking him. When Jonghyun looked back over his shoulder, he could see Kibum within the view-box, watching them with a careful expression. When he looked again, the fey had disappeared.
"You always check the wind before you start," Jinki instructed, snapping his fingers in Jonghyun's face in order to draw his attention from the experts to what gets them there. He stood beside Jonghyun, "Your posture is extremely important. Straight mind, straight body. Remember that. And make sure your shoulders are open and your feet are planted firmly below them."
"You're good at this, aren't you?" Jonghyun mumbled, somewhat frustrated by how easy Jinki made it look.
"No, actually he snaps strings a lot and looses his thumb draw almost daily." Minho said in passing, much to Jinki's chagrin.
"You also have to make sure you breathe through your abdomen," Jinki went on loudly over the captain's haughty amusement, "If you're not standing straight, you won't be breathing properly."
Jinki took Jonghyun through the next several steps, repetitively correcting his posture-Jonghyun was constantly slipping out of it.
"No, like this." Jinki said again, ever patient. He stood pressed close behind Jonghyun, placing his hands over Jonghyun's on the bow, showing him how to properly hold it. "Watch the tip of your finger for now," Jinki said, breath whistling into Jonghyun's ear and sending a shiver down his spine. It was the finger he had pricked on that strange Heirloom.
"-Jinki?" Jonghyun asked when he noticed Jinki was just staring at his hand, now gripped loosely around the bow. Jinki dropped his own hands, stepping away with a clouded look on his face. Jonghyun couldn't see it, but winding around his forefinger was a spindle of inky black smoke, thin and tendriline and invisible to anybody without Sight.
"Sorry." Jinki shook his head. "I was just thinking."
"About that Heirloom?" Jonghyun asked, relaxing his posture and letting the bow fall to his side. Practice was announced over before Jonghyun could push for further information; they were the last two in the lockeroom when Jonghyun noticed something. "Your bow is different."
"It's old." Jinki nodded.
"Some sort of magical artifact, right?" Jonghyun chortled sarcastically, buttoning his uniform shirt loosely over his white tank.
"Basically." Jinki replied. The bow had a short, burgundy tassel at the grip, jade beads adorning the roped string. It was a thing of beauty; it made sense as to why Kibum would be taken by it. "It's another family heirloom."
"About that," Jonghyun said, swinging his bag over his shoulder and following Jinki towards the school gates. "What is it really? No keeping secrets, remember?"
Jinki's eyes were trained firmly ahead and and his resistance to answer put Jonghyun on edge.
"My finger has been stiff lately." Jonghyun admitted, fishing for a response. "Jinki-"
"That Heirloom doesn't just belong to my family." Jinki said slowly. "It's a piece of history. No one should be able to touch it, but of course you can. Of course you can." Jinki was talking mostly to himself now, arms crossed in thought.
"Why me?" Jonghyun asked quietly.
Jinki looked up at him with wide eyes. "I don't know." It was a lie; Jinki knew exactly the reason, but he absolutely could not tell Jonghyun.
"You just said-"
"I did, but I don't know. I'm sorry Jonghyun, I can't tell you."
They continued home together lost in their own thoughts, pausing at Jonghyun's apartment complex when he asked, "Aren't you curious about how I knew Kibum?"
Jinki turned to Jonghyun with a small shrug. "If we shook on keeping no secrets, I knew by then that you already knew about him. There's no way you wouldn't." You are his goal, after all, Jinki added silently.
"Well, what if he what he said was true. What are your motives? And what exactly are you after?"
"It's not that simple." Said Jinki. "He's up to no good. My family's duty for generations has been to remove threats like him."
"By killing them?" Frowned Jonghyun.
"Be careful around him." Jinki sighed, taking Jonghyun's injured hand and smoothing his thumbs along it, telling Jonghyun to relax when he tensed at the touch. "It's probably stiff because you're worrying too much. That should help a little." He said, smiling at Jonghyun, who suddenly felt very embarrassed. Jinki didn't seem to notice it, however. He pointed towards Jonghyun's pocket. "You really should read that book."
"What?" Jonghyun reached into his pocket and produced the leather booklet Jinki had given him yesterday-he didn't remember putting it there.
Jinki grinned at him. "Some tricks can never be sold," he chimed lamely, waving and going on his way. Jonghyun stared dazedly after him, watching as Jinki turned around the corner, the very tip of his bow barely visible over the high brick walls.
"From where I see it there are two paths you can take."
Jonghyun whipped around at the familiar voice, sighting Kibum, black bangs sending a curtain of shadow over his eyes as he leaned over the railing of the second story balcony.
"You can learn how to hunt," He went on, mimicking Jinki's stance and pulling back an oddly convincing invisible bow, "Or you can learn how to be hunted."
"I really only see one option there." Jonghyun replied, Kibum momentarily disappearing from his view as he made his way up the stairs.
"Not even for one minute would I ever want to be a hunter." Kibum said when Jonghyun met him at the steps. "Even if you're not only hunted for your life. Beauty. Power. Treason. Taboo."
"And you're still killed."
"Wrong." Kibum shook his head. "Collected."
"If you're trying to trick me again it won't work." Jonghyun shot back.
"Clever thought, but no." Kibum did not looked pleased. "It's plain truth."
"I did research. I wasn't lying." Jonghyun half-threatened, sitting on the second to last step with a huff of impatience. "Foxes collect things."
"So do witches. So do gods. So do human beings." Kibum hissed under his breath.
"Shaman, not witch." Jonghyun corrected moodily. He felt at a loss for words. Confused, unaddressed. "And why are you bothering me today?" He asked.
"Come to the tracks with me." Kibum said. "I want to show you something."
Jonghyun hitched his school bag higher up his shoulder. "It's still closed off, isn't it?" He asked, more to himself. Kibum shrugged, hand barely brushing Jonghyun's thigh as he reached to guide him down, but not to touch. Not quite. It was strange. Almost as if Kibum couldn't touch him.
The sun was halved by the horizon by the time they made it to the tracks, eerily empty and cold with the river down below them quiet and secluded. The two of them walked out over the bridge where they had first met, along the abandoned track, and Jonghyun managed to trip over one of the wooden rails. Jinki's spellbook slipped out of his pocket and nearly tottered off the gap. Kibum stooped to pick it up before Jonghyun could do the same, and held it as nose level, eyes crinkling in feline curiosity.
"Should I be relieved you haven't read through this yet?" He queried with a small laugh. When Kibum pulled the booklet open he dropped it just as quickly, hissing. His fingers were scorched a dark charcoal, though they looked more like he had stained them with black ink.
Jonghyun picked the booklet up. "I suppose you should." He quipped.
Kibum glared at him, pocketing his injured hand. He should have known it would be dangerous to touch. Jonghyun's fingers were similar; he should have seen the signs.
"What did it?" Jonghyun was examining the leather bound tome, bending back the seam carelessly as he streamed through the pages.
"You mean, who?" Kibum said simply, giving Jonghyun an interested smile when he looked up at him with confused eyes.
"Okay, who?" Jonghyun played along.
Kibum laughed, lofty and amused. "Not telling." He led a complaining Jonghyun to the middle of the bridge before sitting, letting his legs dangle off the edge. Jonghyun sat next to him once more, watching as the fey produced his pipe in three parts, screwing them together and tapping dried herbs into the bowl, lighting them with magic; a casual snap from his uninjured fingers. He inhaled deeply until it was smoldering all the way through. The smell was a soft jasmine, and it was soothing.
"Here." Kibum offered it to Jonghyun.
"No thanks-"
"Just once. It won't kill you." Kibum insisted, waving the pipe in Jonghyun's face. With a roll of his eyes, Jonghyun took the long pipe, breathing in slowly and coughing a bit as he exhaled. The taste was bittersweet. As the smoke cleared from his vision, he rubbed his eyes-was he high? It was one lungful. He was seeing things-
"It's called Sight." Kibum explained, taking the pipe back and inhaling again. "Humans generally don't have it, but it's easy to borrow." Smoke curled playfully about his wrists where he exhaled, looking down at the river below.
"What are they?" Asked Jonghyun.
"Tree spirits." Kibum replied. "Forever listless because of what they've become."
"From the wood on the tracks?" Jonghyun felt rather sick, but he repressed the feeling. The floating, transparent orbs glowed and vanished, reappearing in random places at will. It was beautiful. "Why are you showing me this?"
Kibum turned a strangely fond smile to Jonghyun. "You've only ever asked me questions, you know." Jonghyun stared at him in mild bewilderment. "Maybe it's because you're interesting." Kibum went on. "I had no idea at first who you were, but I suppose that was the point."
"Who am I, then?" Jonghyun asked, sitting up straighter.
"You're Jonghyun." Kibum stated.
"Tell the truth." Jonghyun insisted, knowing full well Kibum couldn't lie.
Kibum grinned broad and inhuman. "It's true I can't lie. I also have no intention of answering your question."
Intrigued as he was, Jonghyun was beginning to feel overwhelmed. He tried to stand up, but vertigo shot through him; it must have been the smoke. "Whatever game you and Jinki are playing-leave me out of it. I'm done."
"It's too late for that." Said Kibum, laughing out perfect rings of smoke. "After all, you're the reason for this game in the first place."
"What?" Snapped Jonghyun. "You killed my friends. I saw through your trick, that's all. "
"Yes, but I didn't see through yours."
Jonghyun scowled at him, confused and affronted. "It was a coincidence."
"Nothing is a coincidence. Learn that." Said Kibum, tone grave. "Learn that quickly." He crossed one leg over the other, turning his lurid gaze onto Jonghyun. "It's very simple, Jonghyun." He added. "Pay attention. You're observant."
Jonghyun's eyes trailed down to Kibum's injured hand, which was placed across his lap in arrogant poise. "You can't touch me, can you?"
Kibum just smiled up at him and Jonghyun's dizziness took his coherence, the blur of Kibum's figure creating a foxish shape, smeared by the amaranthine smoke and the fey's airy voice.
"I wonder why myself."
When Jonghyun woke up, he was in an unfamiliar place-though upon closer inspection, he recognized it as Jinki's mess of a room. Jinki had just re-entered, smiling when he saw Jonghyun's wakeful state.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"No. No, I'm not." Jonghyun mumbled. He didn't bother to ask how Jinki knew where to find him-his raging headache was a bother enough.
"You've been poisoned." Jinki said, placing a cool cloth against Jonghyun's heated forehead.
"Poison-?"
"Kibum did have the decency to tell me you were at the tracks. A kumiho's blend is poison to humans." He explained. "Even if it gives you the Sight temporarily, it's like a very heavy drug. It's something only fey should intake." Then Jinki made his clouded expression. "Kibum didn't know."
"I told you." Jonghyun replied nonsensically.
Jinki's eyes were trained on Jonghyun's hand, where the inky smoke had grown thicker, winding around the rest of his fingers as well. "And I told you to be careful." He said. "He was likely testing you."
His words fell to deaf ears-Jonghyun had once more fallen unconscious. Jinki sat beside him on his bed, watching him solemnly. "You've no idea." He said to Jonghyun's sleeping form. "And I can't tell you. Nobody can but you."
Jonghyun dreamed the most bizarre dream; he was at the ocean, standing barefoot on the cold, white sand. The skies were dark and stormy and before him, several yards past the tide, was a statue of a large dragon. The creature held a clear crystal in its uplifted talons and bore an expression of regal discontent on its long, whiskered face. It was a stunning sight, and peculiarly familiar.
"Don't try to remember." A voice said, and Jonghyun noticed the person sitting at the base of the statue, his bare feet dipped in the choppy waters. "There's nothing there."
Jonghyun felt his own feet slowly sinking deeper in the sand as the water ebbed and flowed. "You're like Kibum aren't you?"
"Not quite," said the boy. "Neither are you."
"Am I talking to myself?" Jonghyun couldn't help but mutter.
The boy laughed lightly, a certain pureness to his voice. "Are you?" He replied. It was impossible not to say he was beautiful-fair skin and round eyes, soft on his small, flawless face. Still, his beauty was inhuman.
Jonghyun contemplated the boy for a moment before sitting in the sand, mindless of the tide soaking his pants. The dragon's intimidating stone stare seemed to be on him no matter where he looked.
"Where am I?"
"Here."
"Here is?"
"Where you are."
Jonghyun snorted. "Who are you?"
"Taemin. Thank you for asking." The boy hopped off the statue and waded up to Jonghyun. When he looked, he could see the paleness of the boy-he was too white. His auburn hair shone red in the small slivers of sunlight loosed through congregating clouds. "Don't try to remember." Taemin repeated, bending down to whisper, "Don't remember at all."
Jonghyun woke with the tide in his ears and Jinki's dirty room in his eyes, late sun filtering through the window.
"I let you sleep." Jinki's voice said, replacing the sound of slinking waves. "I didn't think you'd mind missing school."
"What about you?" Jonghyun asked.
"I'll be fine. How are you feeling?"
"Shitty." Jonghyun replied. "My hand feels stiffer."
Jinki held his own hand out, motioning for Jonghyun to give him his. The shaman examined it thoroughly, seeing what Jonghyun was unable to see. The hand had turned a stony black, the smoke still winding around his fingers like loose rings. He set a silent spell on it, if only to slow it down.
"Better?"
"Much." Nodded Jonghyun. "What did you do?"
"You just slept on it until it fell asleep." Jinki lied, feeling guilty for doing so, but it was necessary.
"Hmm." Jonghyun mumbled absently. He sat up slowly, blinking the residue of sleep and dreams out of his mind's eye. That strange boy was still vivid in his head, the stone dragon's detailed face just as stark a memory.
previous | next
AN: Taemin! Weird as usual! \o/
Jung = dojo. I didn't make up what Jinki was saying to Jonghyun, either. I found a kickass-if-not-somewhat-stuck-up website about Korean archery, which is called gungdo. Wikipedia was also a faithful assistant. A thumb draw is some sort of thumb ring they use for holding the string, or something.
This is sort of what I had in mind when I described the dragon statue. It's a poster my mom has owned since I can remember (she said she bought it in college). As a child, I'd come into her bedroom and sit and stare at it and get lost in the picture. I could almost envision myself being there. I really loved it. It was magical to me. Now it has a place in this story! (and in my room, cuz I asked her if I could steal it bahaha)
Tendreline isn't a word either. Work with me guys! I make shit up as I go along ~
Omigod, the tree spirits were half based off of Princess Mononoke and half based off this sequel to Harvest Moon where "spirits" of plantlife float around... my mom was playing that game on wii for months. Thank god she's moved on to FFXIII.
I promise this is JongKey. But, like I said earlier, there is a LOT of JongYu :D
SUMMARY Jonghyun's just an unfortunate kid. Kibum's just a lost spirit.
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS [SHINee] Jonghyun/Key.
RATING/WARNING PG-13.
GENRE Fantasy/Romance
( 1) ( 2)
AN: In which there is a lot of Jongyu interaction. :3
spirits and sidewalks;
Come lunch, Jonghyun was bombarded before he could escape to the roof. It had been nearly a week since the incident and apparently that was enough time for him to move on before all the nosy students demanded details.
"So?" went one very tall girl, the leader of the school newspaper. "What went down?" Two of her friends were leaning over his desk, eyes inquisitive.
"Go into detail!" One of the boys demanded rudely.
"They were your classmates too," Jinki cut in, face disapproving.
"That's why we're curious!" Chimed another student. Amidst it all, Jonghyun somehow managed to catch Kibum's gaze from across the room. His stare was intense and close to mocking; highly curious of what Jonghyun would say.
Jonghyun had half a mind to tell them the truth, if only to get them off his back and to see the affect it had on Kibum, but instead he relayed the same information he gave the police, nothing more, nothing less, and forced his way out of the small crowd, finally escaping to the roof.
He spent the rest of the day up there, headphones silencing the gusty wind that had picked up around him with music, scribbling random lyrics and doodles into his physics notebook and willing time to go just a tick faster. The final bell did seem to ring a few minutes earlier than usual, and Jonghyun wondered if he had pulled off one of Jinki's spells. It didn't hurt to imagine. He stood, peering over the railing to watch the students file out into the courtyard in twos, threes, groups of friends, their bustling and shouting resounding throughout the campus. He caught sight of Jinki clad in his white archer's uniform and walking with a few similarly dressed classmates, all carrying long hornbows. He kept his eye on them until they turned around the corner before he grabbed his bag, dashing down the stairs to catch them up.
"Jinki!" He shouted just as they were entering the dojo. "I think I want to learn."
The taller boy beside Jinki looked down at Jonghyun with wide, affronted eyes. "What's making you take interest now, Jonghyun?"
Jonghyun frowned back at his friend. "I don't know. I guess your incessant nagging finally won me over." When he thought about it, it was probably because of Jinki-not that it was any more of a valid reason. His simple reply hadn't seemed to resonate well with Minho, however.
Jinki stepped beside Jonghyun with a mischievous grin. "Watch this." He whispered. Jonghyun didn't know what to look for, but he did see the disagreeing face Minho had been making change into an affable smile.
"Sure." Minho said, "It's about time you finally caved. Let Jinki show you to the lockers. You can borrow gear and a bow, but you'll need to buy your own as soon as you can."
Jonghyun followed after Jinki into the room behind the targets, nearly bumping into him because he was distracted by watching the others practice.
"Where'd you disappear to earlier?" Jinki asked, handing Jonghyun his bow while he crouched down to de-box a uniform.
"I'm highly curious as well," another familiar voice piped in. "Where did you disappear to, Jonghyun?" Kibum was sitting on a pile of boxes and broken targets, one leg primly crossed over the other.
Jonghyun took the gimmick Jinki offered him. "Why?" He said. "Are you used to my company already?"
"I admit." Kibum replied caustically, hopping off his impromptu seat. He circled both Jonghyun and Jinki, stopping in front of the blond and reaching out to touch Jinki's bow. They locked eyes when Kibum ran his agile, long fingers along the curved weapon as if it were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Then he smirked, drawing away. "I wish you'd stop glaring at me like that." He said to Jinki. "For one, you're chasing the wrong culprit. For two," Kibum pointed at Jonghyun, "All the wrong, wrong reasons."
Jinki pushed the livery into Jonghyun's arms, ignoring Kibum resolutely. "We have to warm up first," he said to Jonghyun. Jinki lead him out to one of the three unused targets at the far end, bowing as he entered the jung, Jonghyun mimicking him. When Jonghyun looked back over his shoulder, he could see Kibum within the view-box, watching them with a careful expression. When he looked again, the fey had disappeared.
"You always check the wind before you start," Jinki instructed, snapping his fingers in Jonghyun's face in order to draw his attention from the experts to what gets them there. He stood beside Jonghyun, "Your posture is extremely important. Straight mind, straight body. Remember that. And make sure your shoulders are open and your feet are planted firmly below them."
"You're good at this, aren't you?" Jonghyun mumbled, somewhat frustrated by how easy Jinki made it look.
"No, actually he snaps strings a lot and looses his thumb draw almost daily." Minho said in passing, much to Jinki's chagrin.
"You also have to make sure you breathe through your abdomen," Jinki went on loudly over the captain's haughty amusement, "If you're not standing straight, you won't be breathing properly."
Jinki took Jonghyun through the next several steps, repetitively correcting his posture-Jonghyun was constantly slipping out of it.
"No, like this." Jinki said again, ever patient. He stood pressed close behind Jonghyun, placing his hands over Jonghyun's on the bow, showing him how to properly hold it. "Watch the tip of your finger for now," Jinki said, breath whistling into Jonghyun's ear and sending a shiver down his spine. It was the finger he had pricked on that strange Heirloom.
"-Jinki?" Jonghyun asked when he noticed Jinki was just staring at his hand, now gripped loosely around the bow. Jinki dropped his own hands, stepping away with a clouded look on his face. Jonghyun couldn't see it, but winding around his forefinger was a spindle of inky black smoke, thin and tendriline and invisible to anybody without Sight.
"Sorry." Jinki shook his head. "I was just thinking."
"About that Heirloom?" Jonghyun asked, relaxing his posture and letting the bow fall to his side. Practice was announced over before Jonghyun could push for further information; they were the last two in the lockeroom when Jonghyun noticed something. "Your bow is different."
"It's old." Jinki nodded.
"Some sort of magical artifact, right?" Jonghyun chortled sarcastically, buttoning his uniform shirt loosely over his white tank.
"Basically." Jinki replied. The bow had a short, burgundy tassel at the grip, jade beads adorning the roped string. It was a thing of beauty; it made sense as to why Kibum would be taken by it. "It's another family heirloom."
"About that," Jonghyun said, swinging his bag over his shoulder and following Jinki towards the school gates. "What is it really? No keeping secrets, remember?"
Jinki's eyes were trained firmly ahead and and his resistance to answer put Jonghyun on edge.
"My finger has been stiff lately." Jonghyun admitted, fishing for a response. "Jinki-"
"That Heirloom doesn't just belong to my family." Jinki said slowly. "It's a piece of history. No one should be able to touch it, but of course you can. Of course you can." Jinki was talking mostly to himself now, arms crossed in thought.
"Why me?" Jonghyun asked quietly.
Jinki looked up at him with wide eyes. "I don't know." It was a lie; Jinki knew exactly the reason, but he absolutely could not tell Jonghyun.
"You just said-"
"I did, but I don't know. I'm sorry Jonghyun, I can't tell you."
They continued home together lost in their own thoughts, pausing at Jonghyun's apartment complex when he asked, "Aren't you curious about how I knew Kibum?"
Jinki turned to Jonghyun with a small shrug. "If we shook on keeping no secrets, I knew by then that you already knew about him. There's no way you wouldn't." You are his goal, after all, Jinki added silently.
"Well, what if he what he said was true. What are your motives? And what exactly are you after?"
"It's not that simple." Said Jinki. "He's up to no good. My family's duty for generations has been to remove threats like him."
"By killing them?" Frowned Jonghyun.
"Be careful around him." Jinki sighed, taking Jonghyun's injured hand and smoothing his thumbs along it, telling Jonghyun to relax when he tensed at the touch. "It's probably stiff because you're worrying too much. That should help a little." He said, smiling at Jonghyun, who suddenly felt very embarrassed. Jinki didn't seem to notice it, however. He pointed towards Jonghyun's pocket. "You really should read that book."
"What?" Jonghyun reached into his pocket and produced the leather booklet Jinki had given him yesterday-he didn't remember putting it there.
Jinki grinned at him. "Some tricks can never be sold," he chimed lamely, waving and going on his way. Jonghyun stared dazedly after him, watching as Jinki turned around the corner, the very tip of his bow barely visible over the high brick walls.
"From where I see it there are two paths you can take."
Jonghyun whipped around at the familiar voice, sighting Kibum, black bangs sending a curtain of shadow over his eyes as he leaned over the railing of the second story balcony.
"You can learn how to hunt," He went on, mimicking Jinki's stance and pulling back an oddly convincing invisible bow, "Or you can learn how to be hunted."
"I really only see one option there." Jonghyun replied, Kibum momentarily disappearing from his view as he made his way up the stairs.
"Not even for one minute would I ever want to be a hunter." Kibum said when Jonghyun met him at the steps. "Even if you're not only hunted for your life. Beauty. Power. Treason. Taboo."
"And you're still killed."
"Wrong." Kibum shook his head. "Collected."
"If you're trying to trick me again it won't work." Jonghyun shot back.
"Clever thought, but no." Kibum did not looked pleased. "It's plain truth."
"I did research. I wasn't lying." Jonghyun half-threatened, sitting on the second to last step with a huff of impatience. "Foxes collect things."
"So do witches. So do gods. So do human beings." Kibum hissed under his breath.
"Shaman, not witch." Jonghyun corrected moodily. He felt at a loss for words. Confused, unaddressed. "And why are you bothering me today?" He asked.
"Come to the tracks with me." Kibum said. "I want to show you something."
Jonghyun hitched his school bag higher up his shoulder. "It's still closed off, isn't it?" He asked, more to himself. Kibum shrugged, hand barely brushing Jonghyun's thigh as he reached to guide him down, but not to touch. Not quite. It was strange. Almost as if Kibum couldn't touch him.
The sun was halved by the horizon by the time they made it to the tracks, eerily empty and cold with the river down below them quiet and secluded. The two of them walked out over the bridge where they had first met, along the abandoned track, and Jonghyun managed to trip over one of the wooden rails. Jinki's spellbook slipped out of his pocket and nearly tottered off the gap. Kibum stooped to pick it up before Jonghyun could do the same, and held it as nose level, eyes crinkling in feline curiosity.
"Should I be relieved you haven't read through this yet?" He queried with a small laugh. When Kibum pulled the booklet open he dropped it just as quickly, hissing. His fingers were scorched a dark charcoal, though they looked more like he had stained them with black ink.
Jonghyun picked the booklet up. "I suppose you should." He quipped.
Kibum glared at him, pocketing his injured hand. He should have known it would be dangerous to touch. Jonghyun's fingers were similar; he should have seen the signs.
"What did it?" Jonghyun was examining the leather bound tome, bending back the seam carelessly as he streamed through the pages.
"You mean, who?" Kibum said simply, giving Jonghyun an interested smile when he looked up at him with confused eyes.
"Okay, who?" Jonghyun played along.
Kibum laughed, lofty and amused. "Not telling." He led a complaining Jonghyun to the middle of the bridge before sitting, letting his legs dangle off the edge. Jonghyun sat next to him once more, watching as the fey produced his pipe in three parts, screwing them together and tapping dried herbs into the bowl, lighting them with magic; a casual snap from his uninjured fingers. He inhaled deeply until it was smoldering all the way through. The smell was a soft jasmine, and it was soothing.
"Here." Kibum offered it to Jonghyun.
"No thanks-"
"Just once. It won't kill you." Kibum insisted, waving the pipe in Jonghyun's face. With a roll of his eyes, Jonghyun took the long pipe, breathing in slowly and coughing a bit as he exhaled. The taste was bittersweet. As the smoke cleared from his vision, he rubbed his eyes-was he high? It was one lungful. He was seeing things-
"It's called Sight." Kibum explained, taking the pipe back and inhaling again. "Humans generally don't have it, but it's easy to borrow." Smoke curled playfully about his wrists where he exhaled, looking down at the river below.
"What are they?" Asked Jonghyun.
"Tree spirits." Kibum replied. "Forever listless because of what they've become."
"From the wood on the tracks?" Jonghyun felt rather sick, but he repressed the feeling. The floating, transparent orbs glowed and vanished, reappearing in random places at will. It was beautiful. "Why are you showing me this?"
Kibum turned a strangely fond smile to Jonghyun. "You've only ever asked me questions, you know." Jonghyun stared at him in mild bewilderment. "Maybe it's because you're interesting." Kibum went on. "I had no idea at first who you were, but I suppose that was the point."
"Who am I, then?" Jonghyun asked, sitting up straighter.
"You're Jonghyun." Kibum stated.
"Tell the truth." Jonghyun insisted, knowing full well Kibum couldn't lie.
Kibum grinned broad and inhuman. "It's true I can't lie. I also have no intention of answering your question."
Intrigued as he was, Jonghyun was beginning to feel overwhelmed. He tried to stand up, but vertigo shot through him; it must have been the smoke. "Whatever game you and Jinki are playing-leave me out of it. I'm done."
"It's too late for that." Said Kibum, laughing out perfect rings of smoke. "After all, you're the reason for this game in the first place."
"What?" Snapped Jonghyun. "You killed my friends. I saw through your trick, that's all. "
"Yes, but I didn't see through yours."
Jonghyun scowled at him, confused and affronted. "It was a coincidence."
"Nothing is a coincidence. Learn that." Said Kibum, tone grave. "Learn that quickly." He crossed one leg over the other, turning his lurid gaze onto Jonghyun. "It's very simple, Jonghyun." He added. "Pay attention. You're observant."
Jonghyun's eyes trailed down to Kibum's injured hand, which was placed across his lap in arrogant poise. "You can't touch me, can you?"
Kibum just smiled up at him and Jonghyun's dizziness took his coherence, the blur of Kibum's figure creating a foxish shape, smeared by the amaranthine smoke and the fey's airy voice.
"I wonder why myself."
When Jonghyun woke up, he was in an unfamiliar place-though upon closer inspection, he recognized it as Jinki's mess of a room. Jinki had just re-entered, smiling when he saw Jonghyun's wakeful state.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"No. No, I'm not." Jonghyun mumbled. He didn't bother to ask how Jinki knew where to find him-his raging headache was a bother enough.
"You've been poisoned." Jinki said, placing a cool cloth against Jonghyun's heated forehead.
"Poison-?"
"Kibum did have the decency to tell me you were at the tracks. A kumiho's blend is poison to humans." He explained. "Even if it gives you the Sight temporarily, it's like a very heavy drug. It's something only fey should intake." Then Jinki made his clouded expression. "Kibum didn't know."
"I told you." Jonghyun replied nonsensically.
Jinki's eyes were trained on Jonghyun's hand, where the inky smoke had grown thicker, winding around the rest of his fingers as well. "And I told you to be careful." He said. "He was likely testing you."
His words fell to deaf ears-Jonghyun had once more fallen unconscious. Jinki sat beside him on his bed, watching him solemnly. "You've no idea." He said to Jonghyun's sleeping form. "And I can't tell you. Nobody can but you."
Jonghyun dreamed the most bizarre dream; he was at the ocean, standing barefoot on the cold, white sand. The skies were dark and stormy and before him, several yards past the tide, was a statue of a large dragon. The creature held a clear crystal in its uplifted talons and bore an expression of regal discontent on its long, whiskered face. It was a stunning sight, and peculiarly familiar.
"Don't try to remember." A voice said, and Jonghyun noticed the person sitting at the base of the statue, his bare feet dipped in the choppy waters. "There's nothing there."
Jonghyun felt his own feet slowly sinking deeper in the sand as the water ebbed and flowed. "You're like Kibum aren't you?"
"Not quite," said the boy. "Neither are you."
"Am I talking to myself?" Jonghyun couldn't help but mutter.
The boy laughed lightly, a certain pureness to his voice. "Are you?" He replied. It was impossible not to say he was beautiful-fair skin and round eyes, soft on his small, flawless face. Still, his beauty was inhuman.
Jonghyun contemplated the boy for a moment before sitting in the sand, mindless of the tide soaking his pants. The dragon's intimidating stone stare seemed to be on him no matter where he looked.
"Where am I?"
"Here."
"Here is?"
"Where you are."
Jonghyun snorted. "Who are you?"
"Taemin. Thank you for asking." The boy hopped off the statue and waded up to Jonghyun. When he looked, he could see the paleness of the boy-he was too white. His auburn hair shone red in the small slivers of sunlight loosed through congregating clouds. "Don't try to remember." Taemin repeated, bending down to whisper, "Don't remember at all."
Jonghyun woke with the tide in his ears and Jinki's dirty room in his eyes, late sun filtering through the window.
"I let you sleep." Jinki's voice said, replacing the sound of slinking waves. "I didn't think you'd mind missing school."
"What about you?" Jonghyun asked.
"I'll be fine. How are you feeling?"
"Shitty." Jonghyun replied. "My hand feels stiffer."
Jinki held his own hand out, motioning for Jonghyun to give him his. The shaman examined it thoroughly, seeing what Jonghyun was unable to see. The hand had turned a stony black, the smoke still winding around his fingers like loose rings. He set a silent spell on it, if only to slow it down.
"Better?"
"Much." Nodded Jonghyun. "What did you do?"
"You just slept on it until it fell asleep." Jinki lied, feeling guilty for doing so, but it was necessary.
"Hmm." Jonghyun mumbled absently. He sat up slowly, blinking the residue of sleep and dreams out of his mind's eye. That strange boy was still vivid in his head, the stone dragon's detailed face just as stark a memory.
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AN: Taemin! Weird as usual! \o/
Jung = dojo. I didn't make up what Jinki was saying to Jonghyun, either. I found a kickass-if-not-somewhat-stuck-up website about Korean archery, which is called gungdo. Wikipedia was also a faithful assistant. A thumb draw is some sort of thumb ring they use for holding the string, or something.
This is sort of what I had in mind when I described the dragon statue. It's a poster my mom has owned since I can remember (she said she bought it in college). As a child, I'd come into her bedroom and sit and stare at it and get lost in the picture. I could almost envision myself being there. I really loved it. It was magical to me. Now it has a place in this story! (and in my room, cuz I asked her if I could steal it bahaha)
Tendreline isn't a word either. Work with me guys! I make shit up as I go along ~
Omigod, the tree spirits were half based off of Princess Mononoke and half based off this sequel to Harvest Moon where "spirits" of plantlife float around... my mom was playing that game on wii for months. Thank god she's moved on to FFXIII.
I promise this is JongKey. But, like I said earlier, there is a LOT of JongYu :D