Unlock Arc II - Chapter One
Title: Unlock Arc II
Authors:
renichifreak and
yeonah
Chapter: 1/?
Fandom: SS501, cameos by KARA
Pairings: KyuSaeng, HyunMin (may be other pairings in the future)
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Angst, AU, Fluff
Summary: Not everything is as it seems, and for those who are as far from normal as you can get, life is a bleak existence. The only ones who can truly understand what these individuals go through are those...just like them.
A/N: YoungSaeng and HyunJoong are played by
renichifreak and KyuJong and JungMin are played by me. Updates every Monday.
For a small moment, there was absolutely nothing. No sound, no sight, no pain. He couldn't feel a thing. It was like existing in a vacuum, and it felt a little nice, no ground below his feet and just floating.
But then the moment was over, and everything came rushing back.
Feet touching the ground, the rest of the boy’s body followed a second later, knocking the breath out of him as he choked on the pain. A strangled whimper left his lips as one hand pressed against his chest, feeling stickiness there. He coughed up the liquid that had been choking him, a bitter copper taste invading his mouth again.
Everything spun, he couldn't open his eyes, wasn't able to do anything as blood seeped from his body with each frantic beat of his heart.
Cool hands pressed over his own, pulling his hand away from the wound to take its place. "It's okay, you're safe now," a soft voice whispered in his ear. "You're home."
Choking on the blood in his mouth, KyuJong managed to pry his eyes open for a few seconds, seeing blurry faces looking down at him before everything went black again.
********************
For a long minute after he'd slowly regained consciousness, all he could do was lie there, mind too muddled and body too exhausted to do anything. He could hear birds outside, and it was a familiar sound, one he chose to focus on while his head cleared.
Something nagged at him, he wasn't sure what though. Something wasn't right. Why was he hearing birds...in the middle of winter?
Groaning quietly, KyuJong opened his eyes, blinking up at the ceiling before slowly looking around the room. Where was he?
"Hey. Glad you could finally join us," HyunJoong replied quietly, smiling in relief from his spot against the wall. The moment KyuJong had reappeared, HaRa had immediately gone to work to stop the bleeding and save KyuJong's life. It had been a very long wait for him to regain consciousness, but he thanked every god there possibly was that his friend had finally opened his eyes.
KyuJong blinked, tilting his head to the side to better see HyunJoong. His entire body ached, and he wasn't sure if he could move. "Hyun?" he murmured, blinking at him as his vision slowly cleared.
"Where are we?" he asked softly, wincing as he tried to sit up, one hand going to his chest.
"The clearing," HyunJoong replied. "Or more like, below it," he corrected, moving to help KyuJong sit up. "How do you feel, Kyu?"
"Like I was run over by a truck?" It took a moment to sit up properly, leaning back against the headboard. Then KyuJong registered what HyunJoong had said, blinking at his friend in confusion. "Wait...we're where?"
Something was off...had HyunJoong's hair been that long before? The other boy seemed...different, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
HyunJoong sobered as KyuJong began noticing what was going on. "We're beneath the clearing, KyuJong." Taking a deep breath, he continued, tone serious. "You've been gone for a while, Kyu, and a lot has happened since."
Mind clearing further, KyuJong looked up at HyunJoong warily. "...How long is a while...?"
It was then it clicked. "Wait, where's Saeng?" He looked around for any sign of his boyfriend.
"First thing's first," HyunJoong began, trying to keep KyuJong calm. "What's the last thing you remember?" he asked. It would be good to know how much he had to explain.
Nerves started to appear as KyuJong noticed there was no sign of YoungSaeng anywhere. Nor of the others; it was just them. What was going on?
He tried drawing in a slow breath, wincing as he felt a stab of pain in his chest again. "I...we were at my house, and...people showed up." His fingers curled into his shirt, trying to remember. "They wanted to take YoungSaeng away...”
Feeling metal against his fingertips, he looked down, eyes widening when he saw his half-heart necklace, the plated metal stained with dried blood. "What happened?" he asked, looking up at HyunJoong with wide eyes. "Where's YoungSaeng?"
"One of them pulled a gun on Saeng and you saved his life, but were hit instead," HyunJoong explained, voice as calm as he could keep it. "You disappeared right after."
HyunJoong stopped to collect himself. If it was this hard for him, he was afraid of how KyuJong would handle it. "KyuJong, you've been gone for two years..."
KyuJong stopped and stared at HyunJoong in disbelief and shock. "W....what?"
Two years?
"What's...today's date?" he whispered, shutting his eyes tightly and drawing in a shaky breath, clenching the half-heart in a trembling fist. "Is there a calendar?" He needed to see it.
Nodding his head, HyunJoong got to his feet and walked to the other side of the room and grabbed a small book before returning and handing it over. "Today's May 9th," he explained, taking a seat again.
KyuJong flipped the calendar open hastily, looking for the year. When he saw it, his heart plummeted. HyunJoong hadn't been lying.
Blinking back tears, he rested his head in one hand for a moment to collect himself, rubbing his forehead. "...What happened?" he asked finally, voice barely a whisper.
HyunJoong sighed deeply, leaning his head back against the wall. "Everything went to hell, Kyu. More and more Gifted were developing, making it impossible to hide anymore. People were afraid, and you know how people can be when they're confronted with something that scares them." He went silent, voice catching. "Joonie was right...there was so much death," he murmured, running a shaking hand through his hair. "It's all we can do to keep hidden, let alone stay alive with the hunters after our heads."
Lifting his head to look at the older boy...man now...KyuJong felt his eyes widen in shock. "Hunters?" he whispered. "They're...killing us?" He couldn't believe it. How could things go so badly where governments were allowing extermination? "Is it like that all over the world?"
Swallowing back the lump in his throat, HyunJoong nodded his head. "Everywhere. I'm sorry that I have to tell you all this so soon after waking up," he murmured. "Really sorry..."
The time traveler drew in a shaky breath, leaning back against the headboard and staring at HyunJoong helplessly. "Why are you sorry, there's nothing you could have done," he said quietly, listening to the distant sound of birds. Light was coming in from tiny holes in the ceiling, he noticed now.
There was still something missing. Realizing what it was, KyuJong looked back at HyunJoong. "You still haven't answered my question," he said quietly. "Where's Saeng?"
HyunJoong averted his eyes, He couldn't look KyuJong in the eyes. "That day, after you vanished." HyunJoong paused before speaking again. "They took him. Him and JungMin..."
It was KyuJong's worst fear. Staring at HyunJoong, he wanted to tell the older man he was a liar, that there was no way it had happened...but he could see the truth in HyunJoong's eyes, layered with guilt.
In too much shock to cry, KyuJong looked down at the half-heart in his hand, stroking a shaking thumb over the metal. "Took them where?" He whispered, swallowing to be able to talk as his throat tried to close on him. "A-Are they...” He couldn't say it. YoungSaeng couldn't be dead.
"They aren't dead," HyunJoong stated firmly before sighing. "At least not Saeng. We have a guy here. He's a medium. On a couple occasions, he's been able to channel a specific spirit that seems to stay by Saeng's side. She doesn't tell him much, so I can't tell you any more than that, but at least we know that he's alive." He only wished that he had some proof that JungMin was as well.
"There's no way of knowing where he is?" KyuJong asked, looking back up at HyunJoong and drawing in a shaky breath. He had to get YoungSaeng back. If he was alive, there was still a chance.
"Rest a bit more, okay? While you do, I'll look around for him, okay?" HyunJoong bargained. "You won't do any good in this condition."
KyuJong knew HyunJoong was right, but he wasn't sure just how much he'd be able to rest. "What about the others?" He asked, eyes pleading HyunJoong to at least give him some peace of mind. "HaRa, Nicole, HyungJoon, where are they? My family?"
"HaRa was the one who healed you, Kyu, and everyone's fine, I swear," HyunJoong promised. "I swear to God that when I come back, I'll bring them with me, okay? Just get a little sleep."
Swallowing thickly, KyuJong nodded, blinking back tears. So much was different...it felt like just yesterday they'd been having snow fights around his house. But that was two years ago.
"Okay," he whispered, closing his eyes as a tear slipped down his cheek.
"Hey...I'll be back in a sec, okay? I think I have something that'll help you, okay?" With a smile, HyunJoong ran to the door and whistled, the tone odd. A minute later, the sound of running was heard.
HyunJoong halted the person and whispered a few things before stepping aside.
"Oppa!" EunAh cried, running over to the bed and immediately climbing in, clinging to her brother as tightly as she could without hurting him.
KyuJong opened his eyes and gave a cry of delight. "EunAh!" He wrapped his arms around her tightly, ignoring the stabs of pain in his chest as he hugged her to him and buried his face in her hair. "Oh, thank God you're okay," he whispered, more tears falling. She was older now, his age, but she was still his little sister.
Clinging to KyuJong, EunAh started crying, unable to stop herself. "Oppa, I knew that you'd come back. I told them all that you would," she rambled, voice muffled by his shirt. "I told them," she hiccupped.
"She did at that," HyunJoong replied quietly. "Make sure he gets some sleep, EunAh yah. I have to go get the brat." Seeing the small nod, HyunJoong left the room feeling just a touch lighter.
At least one of them was back.
********************************
The next time KyuJong woke up, the pain in his chest had lessened slightly, so he could at least breathe without feeling like there was a brick on his chest. Blinking, he nuzzled against his little sister's soft hair, everything he'd been told since reappearing coming back to him slowly.
YoungSaeng had been captured, but was alive. JungMin too...though with less certainty about the alive part. Gifted were being hunted, and they had been forced into hiding.
He felt that there was much that he still didn't know, that he would have to know if he was going to get YoungSaeng back.
"Well well, look who's finally awake," a deep voice spoke, and KyuJong opened his eyes again, lifting his head out of EunAh's hair to look around the now dimly-lit room. Seeing two people standing at the edge of the bed, his eyes widened.
"Umma? Appa?"
EunAh scooted back out of the way, and KyuJong was enveloped in his mother's arms, hugging her back tightly. "I'm so glad you're back with us sweetie," she whispered, sniffing a little as she ran her fingers through his hair.
Hugging her for a long moment, KyuJong slowly pulled back, looking up at his father. His eyes widened in shock. "Appa?"
The man smiled down at him, the smile stretching the scar that ran down his cheek. "Hey kiddo, how you feeling?" He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Better now," KyuJong said quietly, trying not to stare at the scar and leaning against his mother's shoulder, relieved to have his family around him.
Leaning in the doorway, HyunJoong smiled at the reunion before clearing his throat lightly to alert them to his presence. "Nicole and HaRa made you some food if you're up to eating," he told KyuJong. "Though they may have overdone it a bit," he added with a chuckle. They had been shut in the kitchen all day making everything that KyuJong liked.
Looking up to see HyunJoong, KyuJong gave a small smile and nodded. "That would be nice." He was sure he'd be able to manage food.
"It will have to be brought here, HaRa unnie said that you have to stay in bed for another day at least," EunAh informed him. While she'd been able to heal him, he'd been dangerously close to death, and it would take him a while to recover from that fully.
KyuJong reluctantly nodded, not liking the idea of being stuck in bed, but he wasn't sure if he'd be able to get very far on his own.
HyunJoong didn't even get a chance to say anything when shuffling was heard outside the doorway. Chuckling, he stepped aside to allow the girls to enter rather than eavesdrop as they had been.
"Glad to see you up and around, KyuJong Oppa," Nicole said happily. She and HaRa had both filled out, losing the majority of their baby fat. Nicole's now long hair was tied back as well as HaRa's, high ponytail ending at the base of her spine.
KyuJong smiled widely to see his two friends, though he wasn't really sure if they should be calling him 'oppa' anymore. While his birth certificate said he was older than them, physically, he was now younger. But that was a headache all it's own, and one he didn't want to think about right now.
"It's nice to see you both," he said in relief. They both looked great, if not tired. His mother helped him sit up properly, gaze worried when she caught him wince a little.
"And I'm glad that my technique's improved enough to practically bring you back from the dead," Hara replied before hugging KyuJong, moving aside and taking the food in order to let Nicole do the same. "Well, eat up, because we have plenty of food."
A loud thud and dull explosion made the girls all sigh, EunAh especially. "Oppa, I'll be right back. I have an idiot boyfriend to go and kill." With a light kiss to his cheek, the girl got to her feet and left the room.
Blinking owlishly at the explosion, KyuJong only registered what she'd said after she'd left the room. "...Wait...boyfriend?" He looked at the others in absolute confusion.
HaRa gave a sheepish smile. "Guess who finally worked up the courage to ask EunAh out?"
"...” KyuJong leaned back against the headboard with a sigh. This was a bit much. "Well, I see she isn't blushing and running into walls anymore?"
"Oh no, she still does that, but just when he's being sweet," HyunJoong explained, laughing at the loud yelp from HyungJoon. Realizing that everything was a bit much, he smiled calmly. "Eat first. We'll talk after," he promised, ushering the girls out of the room, leaving KyuJong with his parents.
Watching them leave, KyuJong smiled a little to feel his mother’s hand running through his hair as he started to eat. They talked about simple things, avoiding anything that could get KyuJong anxious or upset. But even so, it was impossible to not notice how KyuJong kept looking down at his necklace, eyes obviously troubled by what he'd heard of how different things were now. Two years was a long time.
Finally when he couldn't eat anything else, his mother kissed his forehead and picked up the tray. "We'll be back later, all right?" she smiled gently. "If you need us, tell HyunJoong ah and he'll come get us."
"All right," KyuJong tried to smile, nodding and leaning into his father's embrace before they both left the room.
Smiling at KyuJong's parents, HyunJoong entered the room and took a seat on the bed beside KyuJong. "...I'm sorry, Kyu. I wish this was all a huge dream, I really do." Pausing, he rested his head against the headboard. "It's been two years for me, and I still wake up screaming about what happened that day," he admitted quietly before turning back to the now younger boy. "Ask me anything and I promise to try and answer."
KyuJong looked up at him, swallowing a little before looking at the wall opposite them. He didn't know where to start, so many questions whirling around his head. After a moment he focused on the one that was the most important to him right now.
"We're going to get them back, right?" He asked softly. It had just been two days for him, and he missed YoungSaeng so badly. He couldn't imagine the pain HyunJoong was in, having gone two whole years and then some without even word if JungMin was still alive.
HyunJoong nodded his head. "Yes," he stated with no hesitation. "We'll definitely get them back. We've all been working hard with our powers in order to do just that. We even have an ace up our sleeves at that. There are a few of us who've been planning how to get them out and I unlocked their powers completely. They can access every aspect of their abilities, unlike the abnormals they have working for them."
Listening to him, KyuJong tilted his head to look at the older man with surprise. They'd managed to harness that aspect of HyunJoong's ability?
"You said before you had others here," he said after a moment. "You were able to contact other Gifted?"
"It was hard, but we did it. We found a telepath, and he and I worked together until I was able to sense them through him. I think the first time I tried it, we were both unconscious for a good week," HyunJoong recalled, chuckling slightly.
KyuJong winced at that. That couldn't have been pleasant. "Are there many?" He asked, wondering. They had guessed before everything happened that there were a large amount of Gifted across the world, just how many were now in hiding along with them? How many were still alive?
"Here with us? Not many. Maybe ten or so, but there are plenty everywhere throughout Seoul," HyunJoong replied. "It's really hard to tell, but I run into new people all the time, and I'm in contact with cell leaders worldwide."
"....” KyuJong stared at him. "You realize that coming from two years in the past, ten is a whole lot?" He rubbed his temple. He'd have to let that one sink in a little. "The governments are really ordering us be killed off? That's genocide...how are people allowing that?"
"Save the masses by exterminating the risk factor," HyunJoong stated robotically, as though it was something he'd heard regularly. "There are those who believe we're a disease. Others think of it as though we're the dominant species in the sense that we're genetically superior. I gave up on understanding the reasons when it turned into a damn witch hunt."
Wincing, KyuJong sighed a little, looking down at his lap. He wanted to believe that they were no different from anyone else...no better, no worse. But was such a mentality even possible now?
"How've you been coping with all this?" he asked softly, not daring to look at his friend.
HyunJoong was silent at the question. "Truthfully? I haven't been. Since I'm the oldest, I've become more or less the leader of our cell, so I'm too busy trying to keep everyone alive and communicate with the other cells to even try," he admitted. He hadn't even told the others this.
KyuJong saddened, looking down at his hands. And he'd been missing through all this, guilty at having left his friends and family to deal with this.
"I want to train with you," he said softly, looking up at him finally. "Get stronger, so we can bring them back. Get back all the Gifted that have been captured."
Looking over at KyuJong, HyunJoong sighed before nodding. "I figured as much, but you need to recover first. HaRa can only do so much, even unlocked. It shouldn't take you long. Rest and get caught up on things. When you're better, then we'll get to work, okay?"
"And stop with the guilt. YoungSaeng is alive, and that's because of you. Now listen to your hyung," HyunJoong teased.
The time traveler's lips quivered slightly at that. "Even more my hyung than before...I think I'm even younger than HyungJoon now. That's so confusing," he sighed, leaning back against the headboard. "I'll try to be patient and rest so we can start sooner. Then we can get them both out," he smiled at HyunJoong, one hand lightly on the man's arm.
HyunJoong smiled, shifting so he could take KyuJong's hand. "Only me and Saeng are older than you, Kyu. You can still pull the age card on the other two, as well as the girls. You people kept forgetting that Saeng and I were the same age. You trumped us all, old man."
"...I'm not that old," KyuJong mumbled, leaning a little into HyunJoong. "I'm not sure whether to be offended by that, or tell you that you're the 'old man' now, or what."
HyunJoong chuckled lightly. "There are days where I certainly feel like an old man," he responded, letting his friend lean against him.
"You're not that old either," KyuJong smiled, closing his eyes after a moment. "Hyun? It's not your fault either," he murmured, remembering the strong guilt he'd seen in HyunJoong's eyes upon waking up, like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
HyunJoong fell silent, a quiet sigh falling from his lips. "I know that logically, Kyu, but since when have I been known to think logically, especially when JungMin's concerned?"
"Never," KyuJong shook his head. The two had been completely in love with each other two years ago, and nothing seemed to have changed. "But you know what JungMin would say if he knew you were blaming yourself for this." The redhead would have probably called HyunJoong several choice words that all led up to the same thing: HyunJoong was an idiot.
Smiling, HyunJoong had to chuckle. "I'm sure that I'd have a concussion by now with the amount of smacks he'd give me." Feeling himself choke up, HyunJoong managed a small laugh. "Let's not tell him then since I kind of need my brain fully functional, yeah?"
"Got it," KyuJong smiled, rubbing HyunJoong's arm gently. "I'm sure he'll find something to smack you for regardless." He was determined they would get both YoungSaeng and JungMin back. "JungMin's strong, he's probably causing no end of trouble with power outages and exploding light bulbs right now."
Bringing a hand up to quickly wipe at his eyes, HyunJoong shook his head with a chuckle. "That crazy redhead is probably talking them to death..."
What he wouldn't give to be in their shoes if that were the case. He never thought he would miss something as mundane as JungMin's rambling.
"Either way, he's probably making their job as torturous as possible," KyuJong hugged HyunJoong, hoping to be of some comfort. That was until pain shot up his chest at twisting his upper body around, breath hitching in his throat.
Feeling KyuJong's body tense, HyunJoong pulled back to see the pain in his face. "Dammit, Kyu, are you okay?" he asked, helping KyuJong get comfortable again. "You need to be careful, okay?" Once he was sure that the time traveler was comfortable," he smiled lightly. "Thanks, though..."
Wincing as he leaned back against the pillows and the headboard, KyuJong tried a small smile. "I've decided, I hate being shot." He squeezed HyunJoong's arm lightly. "Don't overwork yourself...what am I supposed to tell JungMin if you aren't there to pull him out cause you made yourself pass out the day before?"
"Trust me, I know the feeling," HyunJoong replied. "And don't worry about me. I'm not the one that was only just shot, remember?"
"Technically, I was shot two years ago and just have an extremely delayed reaction." KyuJong slowly let go of the older man's arm. "I suppose you have stuff to do?"
"I do. It's called keeping my friend company," HyunJoong replied, shifting to get comfortable again. He had desperately missed KyuJong in the time he had been gone, so the relief he felt now was unimaginable.
KyuJong chuckled softly, smiling a little at him. "Tell me more about what I missed? When did EunAh and HyungJoon get together?" He was glad to have HyunJoong here with him.
"About six months ago. Sorry, Kyu, but we finally took Min's suggestion and shut them in a room together and wouldn't let them out until one spoke up, and surprisingly, it was EunAh," HyunJoong chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.
The time traveler laughed a little at that. "It got that bad?" He could imagine it though, wondering just how they'd ended up together in the first place.
"You know it was when it was your parents that did it," HyunJoong finally said.
KyuJong snorted at that, laughing, and had to stop because it hurt too much. "They...oh no," he chuckled, one hand against his chest. "And I missed out on giving my big brother speech, I hope you gave him one for me."
HyunJoong laughed. "I did my best. It was difficult since I'm the baby of my family, but I more or less said what my hyung did to my first boyfriend. It seemed pretty effective."
"What would that be?" KyuJong asked, eyes dancing.
"'She says no and you don't listen, I'll make it so it won't matter'," HyunJoong stated with a grin.
"...I'd hate to get on your bad side," KyuJong laughed, imagining HyunJoong saying that. Not that he could ever see HyungJoon doing something like that. "Poor Joonie."
"He's really good to her, so you have nothing to worry about," HyunJoong assured him with a smile. "How're you feeling? Other than sore, of course, because that's a given."
"Better than before, at least," KyuJong replied, closing his eyes. "It just hurts if I move. Hopefully I'll get nurse's consent to get out of bed tomorrow. How long was I out after reappearing?"
"A while. You were out for about eighteen hours or so, but after the injury and the massive jump, I would have figured you would be out longer," HyunJoong told him.
"Jumping over long gaps has never been a problem for me," KyuJong shook his head. "It's like...once I'm in the vacuum, time isn't linear anymore, everything's happening parallel to everything else. It's when I try to bring people or things with me that it starts getting really painful."
Listening to the explanation, HyunJoong nodded. "I get the feeling that unlocking your power is going to be a slower process just due to the intricacies of it," he mused.
KyuJong chuckled quietly. "The first time you did it, by accident, I was blasted through several time periods at once. I'm hoping to have better luck the next time. What happens usually, when you unlock someone's power fully? It magnifies their capabilities?"
"Not quite. It basically would allow you to access everything that your power could let you do. I not only unlock the power itself, but your mind as well in a sense, when it comes to the power," he explained. "It's a bit confusing, I know," he chuckled.
"Confusing is right," KyuJong chuckled tiredly. "But I'm used to it." Time traveling wasn't the most straightforward thing ever. "Did Joonie's 1:10 ratio get any better?" He asked, lips quirking in amusement.
"Somewhat," HyunJoong told him with a smile. "Where it was 1:10 before, now it's about 90:100," he said. "Though I think some of that is him tricking us to see how we'd react."
"Sounds like him," KyuJong chuckled. He wondered if his own Gift would get better with practice. "What's going on now?" he asked, wondering how their cell was...and trying not to think about how weird calling it a 'cell' was, like they were terrorists.
"It's too hard to explain. Get some more rest and you can see for yourself." Smiling, HyunJoong moved to get up before pausing. Shifting, he pulled KyuJong into a hug, careful of the wound. "I'm really glad you're okay, Kyu," he murmured.
Smiling, KyuJong wrapped his arms around HyunJoong to return the hug. "Glad you're okay too," he replied softly, relieved that at least some of them were all right.
Not moving for a minute, HyunJoong finally managed to pull away, eyes misty and smile a bit shaky. "Rest. If you need anything, just hit the button beside you," he said, pointing toward the black button on the side of the bed.
KyuJong leaned back before nodding, squeezing HyunJoong's hand in his grasp before letting that go as well. "We'll talk more later?" He asked, carefully easing himself back to lie down on the bed.
"As much as you want," HyunJoong promised. "You getting better takes precedence, though," he pointed out.
"I don't think conversation is going to make the hole in my chest worse, but understood," KyuJong smiled, resting properly. One hand played with his necklace. "Stay safe."
"Probably not, but I'd rather not have HaRa yell at me when you pass out from exhaustion," he replied, watching as KyuJong relaxed. "You, too," HyunJoong murmured. Watching him play with the necklace around his neck, he smiled sadly, saying nothing. Turning the light off, he got up and went to the door. With a final look, he stepped out, closing the door behind him quietly.
Once outside and sure that KyuJong wouldn't hear, HyunJoong let out a shuddered sigh before leaning back against the wall, only to slide down to the floor. Curling in on himself, he finally felt the tears of relief fall, glad that he at least had one back.
Footsteps padded closer, and KyuJong's mother knelt on the ground beside him, brushing his long hair back out of his face sadly. "How are you feeling, Hyun ah?" she asked softly.
Breath catching as he felt his hair brushed back, HyunJoong looked up to see KyuJong's mother. Lip quivering slightly, he sighed. "Dunno," he murmured, voice more of a whisper. "I'm glad he's back, but look what he had to come back to." Sniffling, he continued. "The world is hell, YoungSaeng's gone, and Min-” He choked up at the mere mention of the redhead. "M-Min might be dead for all we know..."
The woman shifted to pull him closer, kissing his forehead. "Now is not the time to fall to thoughts like those. YoungSaeng is alive, which means the chances are good JungMin is too. They were taken before it escalated into killing. And now that KyuJong's back, I know you all will stop at nothing to get them back."
Relaxing into the woman's hold, HyunJoong sighed. "...Do you really think he's still alive?" he asked the woman. While he was a cell leader and already eighteen, he just felt like a child needing reassurance.
"I'm positive he is," she smiled down at him, rubbing his back soothingly. "And right now, he needs you to believe in him."
HyunJoong listened to what she said, nodding his head. "He's okay...and Saeng and Kyu. We'll get them back," he murmured, more for himself than anyone.
"We will," she reaffirmed with a soft smile. "You already have one back, and I know you thought he would never reappear." She smoothed his hair down. "You know you can come find me if you need a break away, sweetie."
"I know," HyunJoong replied, smile somewhat shaky, but visible. "Not sure what I'd do without you and your husband. I can't afford to break down like this. Not with so many people here counting on me."
"No one will fault you if you let it out every now and then," the woman murmured soothingly. "You know there are people here willing to carry the burden with you, you don't have to do this alone."
"I don't want them to, though. This is hard enough to deal with without bringing in all the responsibilities of the rest of it. Thank you, though. For letting me be a kid when I can't deal with it," he told her, bringing a hand up to wipe at his eyes, smile stabilizing a bit more.
"Just don't lose yourself in all the responsibilities, dear," she smiled sadly, tucking his hair behind one ear. "You should get some sleep as well."
Nodding his head, HyunJoong moved away just enough to get to his feet, helping the woman up as well. "He should be asleep, but I don't think he'd mind you being there," he said, figuring that was why she was there in the first place.
With another hug and a slight head bow, HyunJoong headed for his room, doing what the woman suggested.
Authors:
renichifreak and
yeonah
Chapter: 1/?
Fandom: SS501, cameos by KARA
Pairings: KyuSaeng, HyunMin (may be other pairings in the future)
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Angst, AU, Fluff
Summary: Not everything is as it seems, and for those who are as far from normal as you can get, life is a bleak existence. The only ones who can truly understand what these individuals go through are those...just like them.
A/N: YoungSaeng and HyunJoong are played by
renichifreak and KyuJong and JungMin are played by me. Updates every Monday.
For a small moment, there was absolutely nothing. No sound, no sight, no pain. He couldn't feel a thing. It was like existing in a vacuum, and it felt a little nice, no ground below his feet and just floating.
But then the moment was over, and everything came rushing back.
Feet touching the ground, the rest of the boy’s body followed a second later, knocking the breath out of him as he choked on the pain. A strangled whimper left his lips as one hand pressed against his chest, feeling stickiness there. He coughed up the liquid that had been choking him, a bitter copper taste invading his mouth again.
Everything spun, he couldn't open his eyes, wasn't able to do anything as blood seeped from his body with each frantic beat of his heart.
Cool hands pressed over his own, pulling his hand away from the wound to take its place. "It's okay, you're safe now," a soft voice whispered in his ear. "You're home."
Choking on the blood in his mouth, KyuJong managed to pry his eyes open for a few seconds, seeing blurry faces looking down at him before everything went black again.
********************
For a long minute after he'd slowly regained consciousness, all he could do was lie there, mind too muddled and body too exhausted to do anything. He could hear birds outside, and it was a familiar sound, one he chose to focus on while his head cleared.
Something nagged at him, he wasn't sure what though. Something wasn't right. Why was he hearing birds...in the middle of winter?
Groaning quietly, KyuJong opened his eyes, blinking up at the ceiling before slowly looking around the room. Where was he?
"Hey. Glad you could finally join us," HyunJoong replied quietly, smiling in relief from his spot against the wall. The moment KyuJong had reappeared, HaRa had immediately gone to work to stop the bleeding and save KyuJong's life. It had been a very long wait for him to regain consciousness, but he thanked every god there possibly was that his friend had finally opened his eyes.
KyuJong blinked, tilting his head to the side to better see HyunJoong. His entire body ached, and he wasn't sure if he could move. "Hyun?" he murmured, blinking at him as his vision slowly cleared.
"Where are we?" he asked softly, wincing as he tried to sit up, one hand going to his chest.
"The clearing," HyunJoong replied. "Or more like, below it," he corrected, moving to help KyuJong sit up. "How do you feel, Kyu?"
"Like I was run over by a truck?" It took a moment to sit up properly, leaning back against the headboard. Then KyuJong registered what HyunJoong had said, blinking at his friend in confusion. "Wait...we're where?"
Something was off...had HyunJoong's hair been that long before? The other boy seemed...different, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
HyunJoong sobered as KyuJong began noticing what was going on. "We're beneath the clearing, KyuJong." Taking a deep breath, he continued, tone serious. "You've been gone for a while, Kyu, and a lot has happened since."
Mind clearing further, KyuJong looked up at HyunJoong warily. "...How long is a while...?"
It was then it clicked. "Wait, where's Saeng?" He looked around for any sign of his boyfriend.
"First thing's first," HyunJoong began, trying to keep KyuJong calm. "What's the last thing you remember?" he asked. It would be good to know how much he had to explain.
Nerves started to appear as KyuJong noticed there was no sign of YoungSaeng anywhere. Nor of the others; it was just them. What was going on?
He tried drawing in a slow breath, wincing as he felt a stab of pain in his chest again. "I...we were at my house, and...people showed up." His fingers curled into his shirt, trying to remember. "They wanted to take YoungSaeng away...”
Feeling metal against his fingertips, he looked down, eyes widening when he saw his half-heart necklace, the plated metal stained with dried blood. "What happened?" he asked, looking up at HyunJoong with wide eyes. "Where's YoungSaeng?"
"One of them pulled a gun on Saeng and you saved his life, but were hit instead," HyunJoong explained, voice as calm as he could keep it. "You disappeared right after."
HyunJoong stopped to collect himself. If it was this hard for him, he was afraid of how KyuJong would handle it. "KyuJong, you've been gone for two years..."
KyuJong stopped and stared at HyunJoong in disbelief and shock. "W....what?"
Two years?
"What's...today's date?" he whispered, shutting his eyes tightly and drawing in a shaky breath, clenching the half-heart in a trembling fist. "Is there a calendar?" He needed to see it.
Nodding his head, HyunJoong got to his feet and walked to the other side of the room and grabbed a small book before returning and handing it over. "Today's May 9th," he explained, taking a seat again.
KyuJong flipped the calendar open hastily, looking for the year. When he saw it, his heart plummeted. HyunJoong hadn't been lying.
Blinking back tears, he rested his head in one hand for a moment to collect himself, rubbing his forehead. "...What happened?" he asked finally, voice barely a whisper.
HyunJoong sighed deeply, leaning his head back against the wall. "Everything went to hell, Kyu. More and more Gifted were developing, making it impossible to hide anymore. People were afraid, and you know how people can be when they're confronted with something that scares them." He went silent, voice catching. "Joonie was right...there was so much death," he murmured, running a shaking hand through his hair. "It's all we can do to keep hidden, let alone stay alive with the hunters after our heads."
Lifting his head to look at the older boy...man now...KyuJong felt his eyes widen in shock. "Hunters?" he whispered. "They're...killing us?" He couldn't believe it. How could things go so badly where governments were allowing extermination? "Is it like that all over the world?"
Swallowing back the lump in his throat, HyunJoong nodded his head. "Everywhere. I'm sorry that I have to tell you all this so soon after waking up," he murmured. "Really sorry..."
The time traveler drew in a shaky breath, leaning back against the headboard and staring at HyunJoong helplessly. "Why are you sorry, there's nothing you could have done," he said quietly, listening to the distant sound of birds. Light was coming in from tiny holes in the ceiling, he noticed now.
There was still something missing. Realizing what it was, KyuJong looked back at HyunJoong. "You still haven't answered my question," he said quietly. "Where's Saeng?"
HyunJoong averted his eyes, He couldn't look KyuJong in the eyes. "That day, after you vanished." HyunJoong paused before speaking again. "They took him. Him and JungMin..."
It was KyuJong's worst fear. Staring at HyunJoong, he wanted to tell the older man he was a liar, that there was no way it had happened...but he could see the truth in HyunJoong's eyes, layered with guilt.
In too much shock to cry, KyuJong looked down at the half-heart in his hand, stroking a shaking thumb over the metal. "Took them where?" He whispered, swallowing to be able to talk as his throat tried to close on him. "A-Are they...” He couldn't say it. YoungSaeng couldn't be dead.
"They aren't dead," HyunJoong stated firmly before sighing. "At least not Saeng. We have a guy here. He's a medium. On a couple occasions, he's been able to channel a specific spirit that seems to stay by Saeng's side. She doesn't tell him much, so I can't tell you any more than that, but at least we know that he's alive." He only wished that he had some proof that JungMin was as well.
"There's no way of knowing where he is?" KyuJong asked, looking back up at HyunJoong and drawing in a shaky breath. He had to get YoungSaeng back. If he was alive, there was still a chance.
"Rest a bit more, okay? While you do, I'll look around for him, okay?" HyunJoong bargained. "You won't do any good in this condition."
KyuJong knew HyunJoong was right, but he wasn't sure just how much he'd be able to rest. "What about the others?" He asked, eyes pleading HyunJoong to at least give him some peace of mind. "HaRa, Nicole, HyungJoon, where are they? My family?"
"HaRa was the one who healed you, Kyu, and everyone's fine, I swear," HyunJoong promised. "I swear to God that when I come back, I'll bring them with me, okay? Just get a little sleep."
Swallowing thickly, KyuJong nodded, blinking back tears. So much was different...it felt like just yesterday they'd been having snow fights around his house. But that was two years ago.
"Okay," he whispered, closing his eyes as a tear slipped down his cheek.
"Hey...I'll be back in a sec, okay? I think I have something that'll help you, okay?" With a smile, HyunJoong ran to the door and whistled, the tone odd. A minute later, the sound of running was heard.
HyunJoong halted the person and whispered a few things before stepping aside.
"Oppa!" EunAh cried, running over to the bed and immediately climbing in, clinging to her brother as tightly as she could without hurting him.
KyuJong opened his eyes and gave a cry of delight. "EunAh!" He wrapped his arms around her tightly, ignoring the stabs of pain in his chest as he hugged her to him and buried his face in her hair. "Oh, thank God you're okay," he whispered, more tears falling. She was older now, his age, but she was still his little sister.
Clinging to KyuJong, EunAh started crying, unable to stop herself. "Oppa, I knew that you'd come back. I told them all that you would," she rambled, voice muffled by his shirt. "I told them," she hiccupped.
"She did at that," HyunJoong replied quietly. "Make sure he gets some sleep, EunAh yah. I have to go get the brat." Seeing the small nod, HyunJoong left the room feeling just a touch lighter.
At least one of them was back.
********************************
The next time KyuJong woke up, the pain in his chest had lessened slightly, so he could at least breathe without feeling like there was a brick on his chest. Blinking, he nuzzled against his little sister's soft hair, everything he'd been told since reappearing coming back to him slowly.
YoungSaeng had been captured, but was alive. JungMin too...though with less certainty about the alive part. Gifted were being hunted, and they had been forced into hiding.
He felt that there was much that he still didn't know, that he would have to know if he was going to get YoungSaeng back.
"Well well, look who's finally awake," a deep voice spoke, and KyuJong opened his eyes again, lifting his head out of EunAh's hair to look around the now dimly-lit room. Seeing two people standing at the edge of the bed, his eyes widened.
"Umma? Appa?"
EunAh scooted back out of the way, and KyuJong was enveloped in his mother's arms, hugging her back tightly. "I'm so glad you're back with us sweetie," she whispered, sniffing a little as she ran her fingers through his hair.
Hugging her for a long moment, KyuJong slowly pulled back, looking up at his father. His eyes widened in shock. "Appa?"
The man smiled down at him, the smile stretching the scar that ran down his cheek. "Hey kiddo, how you feeling?" He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Better now," KyuJong said quietly, trying not to stare at the scar and leaning against his mother's shoulder, relieved to have his family around him.
Leaning in the doorway, HyunJoong smiled at the reunion before clearing his throat lightly to alert them to his presence. "Nicole and HaRa made you some food if you're up to eating," he told KyuJong. "Though they may have overdone it a bit," he added with a chuckle. They had been shut in the kitchen all day making everything that KyuJong liked.
Looking up to see HyunJoong, KyuJong gave a small smile and nodded. "That would be nice." He was sure he'd be able to manage food.
"It will have to be brought here, HaRa unnie said that you have to stay in bed for another day at least," EunAh informed him. While she'd been able to heal him, he'd been dangerously close to death, and it would take him a while to recover from that fully.
KyuJong reluctantly nodded, not liking the idea of being stuck in bed, but he wasn't sure if he'd be able to get very far on his own.
HyunJoong didn't even get a chance to say anything when shuffling was heard outside the doorway. Chuckling, he stepped aside to allow the girls to enter rather than eavesdrop as they had been.
"Glad to see you up and around, KyuJong Oppa," Nicole said happily. She and HaRa had both filled out, losing the majority of their baby fat. Nicole's now long hair was tied back as well as HaRa's, high ponytail ending at the base of her spine.
KyuJong smiled widely to see his two friends, though he wasn't really sure if they should be calling him 'oppa' anymore. While his birth certificate said he was older than them, physically, he was now younger. But that was a headache all it's own, and one he didn't want to think about right now.
"It's nice to see you both," he said in relief. They both looked great, if not tired. His mother helped him sit up properly, gaze worried when she caught him wince a little.
"And I'm glad that my technique's improved enough to practically bring you back from the dead," Hara replied before hugging KyuJong, moving aside and taking the food in order to let Nicole do the same. "Well, eat up, because we have plenty of food."
A loud thud and dull explosion made the girls all sigh, EunAh especially. "Oppa, I'll be right back. I have an idiot boyfriend to go and kill." With a light kiss to his cheek, the girl got to her feet and left the room.
Blinking owlishly at the explosion, KyuJong only registered what she'd said after she'd left the room. "...Wait...boyfriend?" He looked at the others in absolute confusion.
HaRa gave a sheepish smile. "Guess who finally worked up the courage to ask EunAh out?"
"...” KyuJong leaned back against the headboard with a sigh. This was a bit much. "Well, I see she isn't blushing and running into walls anymore?"
"Oh no, she still does that, but just when he's being sweet," HyunJoong explained, laughing at the loud yelp from HyungJoon. Realizing that everything was a bit much, he smiled calmly. "Eat first. We'll talk after," he promised, ushering the girls out of the room, leaving KyuJong with his parents.
Watching them leave, KyuJong smiled a little to feel his mother’s hand running through his hair as he started to eat. They talked about simple things, avoiding anything that could get KyuJong anxious or upset. But even so, it was impossible to not notice how KyuJong kept looking down at his necklace, eyes obviously troubled by what he'd heard of how different things were now. Two years was a long time.
Finally when he couldn't eat anything else, his mother kissed his forehead and picked up the tray. "We'll be back later, all right?" she smiled gently. "If you need us, tell HyunJoong ah and he'll come get us."
"All right," KyuJong tried to smile, nodding and leaning into his father's embrace before they both left the room.
Smiling at KyuJong's parents, HyunJoong entered the room and took a seat on the bed beside KyuJong. "...I'm sorry, Kyu. I wish this was all a huge dream, I really do." Pausing, he rested his head against the headboard. "It's been two years for me, and I still wake up screaming about what happened that day," he admitted quietly before turning back to the now younger boy. "Ask me anything and I promise to try and answer."
KyuJong looked up at him, swallowing a little before looking at the wall opposite them. He didn't know where to start, so many questions whirling around his head. After a moment he focused on the one that was the most important to him right now.
"We're going to get them back, right?" He asked softly. It had just been two days for him, and he missed YoungSaeng so badly. He couldn't imagine the pain HyunJoong was in, having gone two whole years and then some without even word if JungMin was still alive.
HyunJoong nodded his head. "Yes," he stated with no hesitation. "We'll definitely get them back. We've all been working hard with our powers in order to do just that. We even have an ace up our sleeves at that. There are a few of us who've been planning how to get them out and I unlocked their powers completely. They can access every aspect of their abilities, unlike the abnormals they have working for them."
Listening to him, KyuJong tilted his head to look at the older man with surprise. They'd managed to harness that aspect of HyunJoong's ability?
"You said before you had others here," he said after a moment. "You were able to contact other Gifted?"
"It was hard, but we did it. We found a telepath, and he and I worked together until I was able to sense them through him. I think the first time I tried it, we were both unconscious for a good week," HyunJoong recalled, chuckling slightly.
KyuJong winced at that. That couldn't have been pleasant. "Are there many?" He asked, wondering. They had guessed before everything happened that there were a large amount of Gifted across the world, just how many were now in hiding along with them? How many were still alive?
"Here with us? Not many. Maybe ten or so, but there are plenty everywhere throughout Seoul," HyunJoong replied. "It's really hard to tell, but I run into new people all the time, and I'm in contact with cell leaders worldwide."
"....” KyuJong stared at him. "You realize that coming from two years in the past, ten is a whole lot?" He rubbed his temple. He'd have to let that one sink in a little. "The governments are really ordering us be killed off? That's genocide...how are people allowing that?"
"Save the masses by exterminating the risk factor," HyunJoong stated robotically, as though it was something he'd heard regularly. "There are those who believe we're a disease. Others think of it as though we're the dominant species in the sense that we're genetically superior. I gave up on understanding the reasons when it turned into a damn witch hunt."
Wincing, KyuJong sighed a little, looking down at his lap. He wanted to believe that they were no different from anyone else...no better, no worse. But was such a mentality even possible now?
"How've you been coping with all this?" he asked softly, not daring to look at his friend.
HyunJoong was silent at the question. "Truthfully? I haven't been. Since I'm the oldest, I've become more or less the leader of our cell, so I'm too busy trying to keep everyone alive and communicate with the other cells to even try," he admitted. He hadn't even told the others this.
KyuJong saddened, looking down at his hands. And he'd been missing through all this, guilty at having left his friends and family to deal with this.
"I want to train with you," he said softly, looking up at him finally. "Get stronger, so we can bring them back. Get back all the Gifted that have been captured."
Looking over at KyuJong, HyunJoong sighed before nodding. "I figured as much, but you need to recover first. HaRa can only do so much, even unlocked. It shouldn't take you long. Rest and get caught up on things. When you're better, then we'll get to work, okay?"
"And stop with the guilt. YoungSaeng is alive, and that's because of you. Now listen to your hyung," HyunJoong teased.
The time traveler's lips quivered slightly at that. "Even more my hyung than before...I think I'm even younger than HyungJoon now. That's so confusing," he sighed, leaning back against the headboard. "I'll try to be patient and rest so we can start sooner. Then we can get them both out," he smiled at HyunJoong, one hand lightly on the man's arm.
HyunJoong smiled, shifting so he could take KyuJong's hand. "Only me and Saeng are older than you, Kyu. You can still pull the age card on the other two, as well as the girls. You people kept forgetting that Saeng and I were the same age. You trumped us all, old man."
"...I'm not that old," KyuJong mumbled, leaning a little into HyunJoong. "I'm not sure whether to be offended by that, or tell you that you're the 'old man' now, or what."
HyunJoong chuckled lightly. "There are days where I certainly feel like an old man," he responded, letting his friend lean against him.
"You're not that old either," KyuJong smiled, closing his eyes after a moment. "Hyun? It's not your fault either," he murmured, remembering the strong guilt he'd seen in HyunJoong's eyes upon waking up, like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
HyunJoong fell silent, a quiet sigh falling from his lips. "I know that logically, Kyu, but since when have I been known to think logically, especially when JungMin's concerned?"
"Never," KyuJong shook his head. The two had been completely in love with each other two years ago, and nothing seemed to have changed. "But you know what JungMin would say if he knew you were blaming yourself for this." The redhead would have probably called HyunJoong several choice words that all led up to the same thing: HyunJoong was an idiot.
Smiling, HyunJoong had to chuckle. "I'm sure that I'd have a concussion by now with the amount of smacks he'd give me." Feeling himself choke up, HyunJoong managed a small laugh. "Let's not tell him then since I kind of need my brain fully functional, yeah?"
"Got it," KyuJong smiled, rubbing HyunJoong's arm gently. "I'm sure he'll find something to smack you for regardless." He was determined they would get both YoungSaeng and JungMin back. "JungMin's strong, he's probably causing no end of trouble with power outages and exploding light bulbs right now."
Bringing a hand up to quickly wipe at his eyes, HyunJoong shook his head with a chuckle. "That crazy redhead is probably talking them to death..."
What he wouldn't give to be in their shoes if that were the case. He never thought he would miss something as mundane as JungMin's rambling.
"Either way, he's probably making their job as torturous as possible," KyuJong hugged HyunJoong, hoping to be of some comfort. That was until pain shot up his chest at twisting his upper body around, breath hitching in his throat.
Feeling KyuJong's body tense, HyunJoong pulled back to see the pain in his face. "Dammit, Kyu, are you okay?" he asked, helping KyuJong get comfortable again. "You need to be careful, okay?" Once he was sure that the time traveler was comfortable," he smiled lightly. "Thanks, though..."
Wincing as he leaned back against the pillows and the headboard, KyuJong tried a small smile. "I've decided, I hate being shot." He squeezed HyunJoong's arm lightly. "Don't overwork yourself...what am I supposed to tell JungMin if you aren't there to pull him out cause you made yourself pass out the day before?"
"Trust me, I know the feeling," HyunJoong replied. "And don't worry about me. I'm not the one that was only just shot, remember?"
"Technically, I was shot two years ago and just have an extremely delayed reaction." KyuJong slowly let go of the older man's arm. "I suppose you have stuff to do?"
"I do. It's called keeping my friend company," HyunJoong replied, shifting to get comfortable again. He had desperately missed KyuJong in the time he had been gone, so the relief he felt now was unimaginable.
KyuJong chuckled softly, smiling a little at him. "Tell me more about what I missed? When did EunAh and HyungJoon get together?" He was glad to have HyunJoong here with him.
"About six months ago. Sorry, Kyu, but we finally took Min's suggestion and shut them in a room together and wouldn't let them out until one spoke up, and surprisingly, it was EunAh," HyunJoong chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.
The time traveler laughed a little at that. "It got that bad?" He could imagine it though, wondering just how they'd ended up together in the first place.
"You know it was when it was your parents that did it," HyunJoong finally said.
KyuJong snorted at that, laughing, and had to stop because it hurt too much. "They...oh no," he chuckled, one hand against his chest. "And I missed out on giving my big brother speech, I hope you gave him one for me."
HyunJoong laughed. "I did my best. It was difficult since I'm the baby of my family, but I more or less said what my hyung did to my first boyfriend. It seemed pretty effective."
"What would that be?" KyuJong asked, eyes dancing.
"'She says no and you don't listen, I'll make it so it won't matter'," HyunJoong stated with a grin.
"...I'd hate to get on your bad side," KyuJong laughed, imagining HyunJoong saying that. Not that he could ever see HyungJoon doing something like that. "Poor Joonie."
"He's really good to her, so you have nothing to worry about," HyunJoong assured him with a smile. "How're you feeling? Other than sore, of course, because that's a given."
"Better than before, at least," KyuJong replied, closing his eyes. "It just hurts if I move. Hopefully I'll get nurse's consent to get out of bed tomorrow. How long was I out after reappearing?"
"A while. You were out for about eighteen hours or so, but after the injury and the massive jump, I would have figured you would be out longer," HyunJoong told him.
"Jumping over long gaps has never been a problem for me," KyuJong shook his head. "It's like...once I'm in the vacuum, time isn't linear anymore, everything's happening parallel to everything else. It's when I try to bring people or things with me that it starts getting really painful."
Listening to the explanation, HyunJoong nodded. "I get the feeling that unlocking your power is going to be a slower process just due to the intricacies of it," he mused.
KyuJong chuckled quietly. "The first time you did it, by accident, I was blasted through several time periods at once. I'm hoping to have better luck the next time. What happens usually, when you unlock someone's power fully? It magnifies their capabilities?"
"Not quite. It basically would allow you to access everything that your power could let you do. I not only unlock the power itself, but your mind as well in a sense, when it comes to the power," he explained. "It's a bit confusing, I know," he chuckled.
"Confusing is right," KyuJong chuckled tiredly. "But I'm used to it." Time traveling wasn't the most straightforward thing ever. "Did Joonie's 1:10 ratio get any better?" He asked, lips quirking in amusement.
"Somewhat," HyunJoong told him with a smile. "Where it was 1:10 before, now it's about 90:100," he said. "Though I think some of that is him tricking us to see how we'd react."
"Sounds like him," KyuJong chuckled. He wondered if his own Gift would get better with practice. "What's going on now?" he asked, wondering how their cell was...and trying not to think about how weird calling it a 'cell' was, like they were terrorists.
"It's too hard to explain. Get some more rest and you can see for yourself." Smiling, HyunJoong moved to get up before pausing. Shifting, he pulled KyuJong into a hug, careful of the wound. "I'm really glad you're okay, Kyu," he murmured.
Smiling, KyuJong wrapped his arms around HyunJoong to return the hug. "Glad you're okay too," he replied softly, relieved that at least some of them were all right.
Not moving for a minute, HyunJoong finally managed to pull away, eyes misty and smile a bit shaky. "Rest. If you need anything, just hit the button beside you," he said, pointing toward the black button on the side of the bed.
KyuJong leaned back before nodding, squeezing HyunJoong's hand in his grasp before letting that go as well. "We'll talk more later?" He asked, carefully easing himself back to lie down on the bed.
"As much as you want," HyunJoong promised. "You getting better takes precedence, though," he pointed out.
"I don't think conversation is going to make the hole in my chest worse, but understood," KyuJong smiled, resting properly. One hand played with his necklace. "Stay safe."
"Probably not, but I'd rather not have HaRa yell at me when you pass out from exhaustion," he replied, watching as KyuJong relaxed. "You, too," HyunJoong murmured. Watching him play with the necklace around his neck, he smiled sadly, saying nothing. Turning the light off, he got up and went to the door. With a final look, he stepped out, closing the door behind him quietly.
Once outside and sure that KyuJong wouldn't hear, HyunJoong let out a shuddered sigh before leaning back against the wall, only to slide down to the floor. Curling in on himself, he finally felt the tears of relief fall, glad that he at least had one back.
Footsteps padded closer, and KyuJong's mother knelt on the ground beside him, brushing his long hair back out of his face sadly. "How are you feeling, Hyun ah?" she asked softly.
Breath catching as he felt his hair brushed back, HyunJoong looked up to see KyuJong's mother. Lip quivering slightly, he sighed. "Dunno," he murmured, voice more of a whisper. "I'm glad he's back, but look what he had to come back to." Sniffling, he continued. "The world is hell, YoungSaeng's gone, and Min-” He choked up at the mere mention of the redhead. "M-Min might be dead for all we know..."
The woman shifted to pull him closer, kissing his forehead. "Now is not the time to fall to thoughts like those. YoungSaeng is alive, which means the chances are good JungMin is too. They were taken before it escalated into killing. And now that KyuJong's back, I know you all will stop at nothing to get them back."
Relaxing into the woman's hold, HyunJoong sighed. "...Do you really think he's still alive?" he asked the woman. While he was a cell leader and already eighteen, he just felt like a child needing reassurance.
"I'm positive he is," she smiled down at him, rubbing his back soothingly. "And right now, he needs you to believe in him."
HyunJoong listened to what she said, nodding his head. "He's okay...and Saeng and Kyu. We'll get them back," he murmured, more for himself than anyone.
"We will," she reaffirmed with a soft smile. "You already have one back, and I know you thought he would never reappear." She smoothed his hair down. "You know you can come find me if you need a break away, sweetie."
"I know," HyunJoong replied, smile somewhat shaky, but visible. "Not sure what I'd do without you and your husband. I can't afford to break down like this. Not with so many people here counting on me."
"No one will fault you if you let it out every now and then," the woman murmured soothingly. "You know there are people here willing to carry the burden with you, you don't have to do this alone."
"I don't want them to, though. This is hard enough to deal with without bringing in all the responsibilities of the rest of it. Thank you, though. For letting me be a kid when I can't deal with it," he told her, bringing a hand up to wipe at his eyes, smile stabilizing a bit more.
"Just don't lose yourself in all the responsibilities, dear," she smiled sadly, tucking his hair behind one ear. "You should get some sleep as well."
Nodding his head, HyunJoong moved away just enough to get to his feet, helping the woman up as well. "He should be asleep, but I don't think he'd mind you being there," he said, figuring that was why she was there in the first place.
With another hug and a slight head bow, HyunJoong headed for his room, doing what the woman suggested.