Unlock Arc II - Chapter Four
Title: Unlock Arc II
Authors:
renichifreak and
yeonah
Chapter: 4/?
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.
"WOAH!"
KyuJong looked up from his notebook, blinking, to see not only DongHae but JongWoon and Xander on the ceiling as well. "...How did that happen?" He asked, trying not to smile but the corners of his lips quivered. Looks like DongHae had discovered something new.
"I don't know but I want down now!" JongWoon protested loudly, flailing around. "DongHae, put me down!"
DongHae blinked at him. "Okay."
JongWoon fell back to the ground with a shriek, nearly landing on his head.
"Hyungdeul, play nicely," RyeoWook yawned, curled up on a corner of the couch. "I can't keep healing you all the time."
Seeing how DongHae had 'put down' JongWoon, Xander turned wide eyes onto the brunette. "Hae, buddy...can you put me down too, but a lot gentler than that?" he pleaded, making KiBum and SooHyun snicker from their place on the floor.
Grinning at Xander, DongHae nodded and puffed his cheeks out in concentration. Xander slowly started to descend from the ceiling.
"Why does he get to be put down slowly and I'm just dumped?" JongWoon whined, rubbing his neck and crawling over to where RyeoWook was to be healed.
"You said you wanted to go down 'now'," KyuJong chuckled, tapping his pencil against the paper. "I guess DongHae thought that meant right now."
"What're you writing, KyuJong ah?" Xander asked, crawling over to where the time traveler was seated, peering over his shoulder like a curious puppy.
"Theories," KyuJong frowned down at the paper. "I was never good at them though...just trying to figure out exactly how I managed to go somewhere else in space." After the unlocking, a whole bunch of ideas had come to mind, but he was having difficulty sorting them all out.
"Did you ask SooHyun ah what he does when he teleports?" DongHae asked, pointing at the teleporter. "It might help."
Looking up as his name was mentioned, SooHyun grinned at KyuJong. "If you have any questions, ask away. I'm sure I can at least attempt to give you an answer."
Kibum grinned. "But don't ask if it involves him moving. I'm comfortable."
"Brat," SooHyun chuckled, dropping a kiss to the side of his neck.
"No moving, got it," KyuJong smiled at the two. "Well, how do you teleport exactly?" He watched DongHae out of the corner of his eye as the older man shakily stood up on the ceiling, arms out for balance as he took wobbly steps.
"Well, now it's just second nature, but when I was first learning, which is about where you are, I would picture a place in my head and just tell myself that I wanted to be there," SooHyun explained. "In the beginning, though, it would only work with places I had been before."
KyuJong nodded slowly, frowning a little. "That was how I ended up in my house...but it's never happened before."
"Well, we figured out it was part of the unlock, so it makes sense that it hasn't happened before," RyeoWook murmured, falling asleep. He nudged at JongWoon sitting at his feet. "Go away hyung, I'm not healing you any more. But KyuJong hyung, I think it's safe to say your power still mainly revolves around time. Or else the space part would have become second nature after the unlock."
The time traveler nodded, figuring that made sense. And he'd tried 'teleporting' again once he was fully rested, nearly knocking himself out again. It took far more energy for him to move in space than in time.
"Where's HyunJoong?" He asked then, looking at RyeoWook. The healer was usually attached to the older man's side.
"Another meeting," RyeoWook sighed, looking at the time. "It won't be ending anytime soon."
"He has a lot of meetings," KyuJong frowned in concern.
"It's because the older whackjobs are still trying to take over by all but overwhelming him and killing him with work," Nicole told him as she walked into the training room.
"But why?" KyuJong looked at her, not understanding. "From what I've seen, he's been doing an amazing job." He'd been back for nearly a month, and though a few minor incidents had come up sometimes, it was still great how HyunJoong was managing to lead the cell despite being only 18.
Nicole bit her lip and looked around, making sure that HyunJoong wouldn't magically pop up behind her. "They would have him as a resource than a leader. His ability is pretty powerful after all..."
KyuJong nodded slowly. "He's very strong...Even with all the training two years ago, he wouldn't be able to do everything he's doing right now."
"He got strong really fast," DongHae put in from the ceiling.
"You don't even know the half of it, Hae," Nicole laughed before shutting up. Maybe she shouldn't have said that.
"Huh?" JongWoon sat up from where he was draped across the floor. "Half of what?" KyuJong blinked, watching Nicole in slight confusion. RyeoWook shifted uncomfortably on the couch.
Nicole let out a whine at the fact that she had forgotten about just how bad of gossip mongers DongHae and JongWoon were. She knew that she wasn't getting out of it, though. Moving to lock the door, she motioned everyone closer. "Anything I say does not leave this room, got it? If it does, you don't even want to know what I'll do to you."
Worried now, KyuJong glanced at the others before getting up to move over to Nicole. DongHae found a spot on the ceiling directly on top of them, JongWoon scrambling over as well, dragging RyeoWook along.
"Maybe we shouldn't be talking about this then?" RyeoWook protested.
"Too late now, Hyung," KiBum murmured as he turned his attention back to Nicole, playing with SooHyun's hands.
Nicole finally began speaking, looking at KyuJong. "So right after you disappeared and Min and Saeng were taken, Hyun Oppa tried to get them back, right? Did he tell you that?"
Brow furrowed, KyuJong nodded slowly. "He told me, yes, and that it didn't work." The others were quiet, listening.
"Well, after a while, he started getting really depressed and threw himself into training to make himself stronger. One day, me and Joonie were taking a walk to clear our heads when we heard yelling. Walking into the clearing, we saw HyunJoong freaking out," Nicole explained. " After a minute, he suddenly froze and just, passed out."
KyuJong's eyes widened in shock at that. He wasn't able to ask any questions, the others beating him to it. "What happened?" DongHae asked frantically, JongWoon echoing him. Even RyeoWook looked alarmed now.
Nicole was silent for a minute. Thinking back, HyunJoong had scared them all senseless. When they had returned home, HyunJoong secured on the youngest's back, all hell had broken loose. It was only after he had woken up some days later than they found out what had happened.
"...He had somehow managed to unlock himself," she finally replied.
There was shocked silence for a moment.
"...Unlock himself?" KyuJong murmured, eyes wide. "But...how?"
"I thought his power didn't work on himself?" JongWoon asked, eyes wide. "I mean, he can't exactly shut off his own power. How did..."
Nicole just shrugged. "We have no idea, and neither does HyunJoong Oppa. Actually, he barely remembers anything about that day. We think it has to do with how useless he felt and the guilt that just kept building."
KyuJong looked down at the floor, eyes sad. HyunJoong shouldn't have to feel guilty, he was doing everything he could and more. "So that's why he's able to do so much now, without the side effects like before?" he asked, looking up at Nicole.
"Oh, he still has side effects, just not as often as before," Nicole corrected.
"He gets migraines a lot," Xander offered as he played with his hair.
"I noticed that," KyuJong nodded sadly. "The meetings really can't be helping."
"It should be over soon," RyeoWook said, looking at his watch again.
SooHyun opened his mouth to comment as well but paused when he felt KiBum stiffen in his hold. "Bummie?" he asked, tightening his hold on his boyfriend.
Shifting slightly, KiBum shook his head slowly, signaling that he had been possessed.
"Who is it?" he asked.
"KyungMi," he responded quietly, voice overshadowed by a feminine tone.
KyuJong blinked in utter confusion for a moment, before he remembered that KiBum was a medium, meaning this was a spirit. "Who's KyungMi?" he murmured, glancing to DongHae who was now floating beside him for an explanation.
"The nice spirit who's been keeping an eye on YoungSaeng ah," DongHae replied quietly, eyes wide. KyuJong's own eyes widened as he looked at KiBum, all his attention on the possessed boy.
"He's resting now," the woman said through KiBum before resting eyes on KyuJong. Blinking, KiBum's head tilted to the side. "Well I'll be. You wouldn't happen to be 'Kyu yah', would you?"
KyuJong's voice was stuck in his throat, and he could just nod for a moment. "Yes, that's me," he said, swallowing thickly. "I-is he...is YoungSaeng okay?" he asked, trying to keep his voice from shaking.
The smile the appeared on KiBum's face was a sad one. "He's alive," was the reply that came. "Losing hope quickly, however this bit of news may help."
Heart hurting, KyuJong drew in a shaky breath, fingers curling around the notebook and pencil in his grip. "Please, are you able to tell us where he is?" he pleaded. "Where this place is located?" Here was their chance, and then they could finally get YoungSaeng and JungMin out.
"Seoul," the spirit replied. "He is in the one place that he swore to never go back to."
A moment later, KiBum jerked, eyes blinking rapidly as he regained his bearings. "Spirit?" he asked.
"Spirit," SooHyun confirmed.
RyeoWook shuffled over to KiBum to make sure he was okay. "What did he mean?" DongHae blinked.
KyuJong was staring down at his notebook. The place he would never go back to...
Suddenly it clicked and his eyes widened. "RyeoWook, when does HyunJoong's meeting end?" he asked hurriedly.
"In half an hour," RyeoWook replied, looking back at him.
That was enough time. "Tell him when he gets out to meet me in my house," KyuJong said, before hurrying out of the room. He had to get that address.
YoungSaeng was in the mental hospital.
**************************
By the time HyunJoong got to KyuJong's house, he was exhausted, having run every step of the way once he was told the message from DongHae. Reaching the door, he just walked in as he usually did, looking around for KyuJong. "Kyu?" he called.
KyuJong's mother looked up from the kitchen table. "He's in his room sweetie," she said, looking worried.
With a quick thank you, HyunJoong got out of his shoes and ran upstairs, practically falling over once he made it into KyuJong's room.
"What's going on?" he panted, hands on his knees as he tried to regain his breath.
KyuJong was at his desk with his laptop, busy taking notes down. When HyunJoong came into the room, he turned around in his seat, eyes bright.
"We've got it," he said, holding out a piece of paper with an address written in careful handwriting. "YoungSaeng and JungMin, they're here."
HyunJoong froze at the mention of JungMin's name, but managed to move on. "H-how do you know where they are?" he asked, confused.
"KiBum ah was possessed by KyungMi, the spirit who's with Saeng," KyuJong said, holding on to the chair tightly. "She said that YoungSaeng was in 'the one place he swore never to go back to'." He looked up at HyunJoong, holding out the address again to him. "It's the mental hospital, Hyun, they're in the mental hospital."
Straightening, HyunJoong took slow steps toward KyuJong and reached out for the address, but hesitated. "We never knew what that meant," he murmured. "We always just thought it meant his house." Looking up at KyuJong, he looked every bit the kid he still was. "Do you really think Min's there, too?" he asked, voice quiet.
KyuJong didn't want to give false hope, but he knew how much this meant to HyunJoong, who had suffered through two years of hell. "We're never going to know if we don't go, right?" he smiled up at the older man. "If we found one, we can find the other, promise."
It took a moment, but finally, HyunJoong nodded, smile on his face. "Well, I suppose we should get back and start planning, huh?"
"Right," KyuJong beamed up at him before standing. He pulled HyunJoong into a tight hug. "We're going to get them back," he murmured, new conviction in his voice.
Wrapping his arms around KyuJong, HyunJoong found himself burying his face into the other's shoulder for a moment before pulling away, meeting the conviction with his own. "Of course we are."
Grinning, KyuJong leaned over and picked up all the papers with how to get there, and printed maps of the area, closing his laptop before turning back to HyunJoong. "Let's get going, we have work to do." He took HyunJoong's hand and left his room.
***************************
"And you're sure about this," HyungJoon said once KyuJong and HyunJoong had finished their explanation.
"Well, we aren't positive, but it's more than we had before, right?" HyunJoong pointed out.
"I know that's where YoungSaeng would never want to go back to, even more than his house," KyuJong said firmly. "And it makes sense, it's a government building with the proper facilities to contain people. Many mental hospitals are just as secure as prisons."
"That makes our job more difficult though," RyeoWook said quietly. "How are we going to get in?" He pulled the printed map into the middle of the table they'd set up, peering at it.
Xander shrugged. "I can be a super good distraction," he suggested, continuing before HyunJoong could argue. "The only person that they want to capture more than me is you, so you know that it'll work."
"That doesn't mean that I have to like it. I don't like the idea of my people being distractions."
"I can stick around him and pull him out before anything happens," Nicole suggested. "They can't follow me into the ground."
"You're going to end up in someone's basement again," HaRa said.
"Better than the alternative."
"I can be the emergency exit if we need to get out in a hurry," JongWoon offered. "No need for a proper door."
Looking around, HyunJoong sighed. "Okay. HaRa and RyeoWook will both be coming since we have no idea how injured anyone in there is, because if we go there, we're getting out as many people as we can," he began. "KiBum, I want you and Hae to prepare the infirmary for as many patients as we have supplies for just in case."
"We can do that," DongHae nodded, glancing to KiBum. "How are we going to get them all back here? That's quite the distance if we don't know how many people we're bringing back."
"My father's offered to bring people back and forth in his van," KyuJong spoke up. "Are we able to get any other cars?"
SooHyun spoke up. "I can bring people back and forth as well," he offered with a nod of his head.
"That's a lot of trips, though," Xander pointed out.
"I'll be fine as long as I take a rest before and after we're done."
"So how many people does that leave to go in?" HaRa asked. "Are we going to have enough numbers?"
"There's HyunJoong, myself, HaRa, RyeoWook, JongWoon, SooHyun..." KyuJong counted.
"I think keeping this small will actually help us," Xander said. "I mean, we'll be less noticeable and can move a bit more freely," he pointed out.
"I hope you guys aren't forgetting about me," HyunSeung remarked with a grin as he entered the room.
HyunJoong smiled. "Of course not. I just wasn't sure when you'd be back."
"So we got HyunSeung too," DongHae grinned. "What else?"
"I think it would be best if I were to set up a healing circle somewhere discreet?" RyeoWook said, looking at the map. "You can bring all the injured people to me while they're waiting to be taken here."
Listening to what RyeoWook said, HyunJoong nodded. "Good idea, Wookie. How about you set up a circle just about here," he said, pointing to an area a good distance away. "HaRa can make sure they're fit for travel and SooHyun can bring them to you," he suggested, earning a nod from SooHyun and HaRa.
"How soon can we go?" KyuJong asked.
"We should have at least a day to rest fully, make sure everyone's in top condition," RyeoWook said quietly.
At that, HyunJoong looked over at KyuJong. "How are you doing? Think you got enough control for this?" he asked.
KyuJong nodded. "I've been practicing a lot. Moving in space is very tiring, but my control over time's gotten much better."
Nodding his head, HyunJoong looked around before leaning in, his voice lowering. "Three days. I have no idea how I'm gonna get out of the meetings to rest, but I'll figure something out."
"They better let you rest," DongHae pouted. "Or we'll send JongWoon hyung after them."
"You're going to rest now, right hyung?" RyeoWook piped up, looking at HyunJoong.
"He will when I go tell those jerks that he's fallen sick and needs to be on bedrest," HaRa stated, frown on her face at the thought of them.
"Good idea, maybe they'll finally leave him alone," Nicole sighed.
KyuJong nodded, looking down at the papers in front of them. Three days...then they would be able to get YoungSaeng and JungMin out, as well as as many people as they possibly could. "I think I'm going to get some more practice in," he said, standing.
"Practice sounds good," DongHae agreed, standing as well.
"Everyone rests the day before," RyeoWook said firmly, and DongHae patted him on the head.
"I suppose that I'll go get as much work done as I can since I know that you two are planning to barricade me in my room," HyunJoong chuckled, looking pointedly at RyeoWook and HaRa.
"Well, if it'll get you to rest," HaRa stated with a bright smile.
Shaking his head, HyunJoong looked over at SooHyun and Xander. "You two are off duty as of now, so feel free to do whatever you want, and HyunSeung, stay away from sharp objects, because we'll need you at a hundred percent."
"Yessir!" they all yelled, mock saluting.
KyuJong laughed at the salutes, smiling a little brighter as he gathered up the papers and left the room. They were finally going to get YoungSaeng and JungMin back.
He was going to train as much as he could in the time left, because they would only have one shot at this, and they couldn't fail.
Authors:
renichifreak and
yeonah
Chapter: 4/?
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.
"WOAH!"
KyuJong looked up from his notebook, blinking, to see not only DongHae but JongWoon and Xander on the ceiling as well. "...How did that happen?" He asked, trying not to smile but the corners of his lips quivered. Looks like DongHae had discovered something new.
"I don't know but I want down now!" JongWoon protested loudly, flailing around. "DongHae, put me down!"
DongHae blinked at him. "Okay."
JongWoon fell back to the ground with a shriek, nearly landing on his head.
"Hyungdeul, play nicely," RyeoWook yawned, curled up on a corner of the couch. "I can't keep healing you all the time."
Seeing how DongHae had 'put down' JongWoon, Xander turned wide eyes onto the brunette. "Hae, buddy...can you put me down too, but a lot gentler than that?" he pleaded, making KiBum and SooHyun snicker from their place on the floor.
Grinning at Xander, DongHae nodded and puffed his cheeks out in concentration. Xander slowly started to descend from the ceiling.
"Why does he get to be put down slowly and I'm just dumped?" JongWoon whined, rubbing his neck and crawling over to where RyeoWook was to be healed.
"You said you wanted to go down 'now'," KyuJong chuckled, tapping his pencil against the paper. "I guess DongHae thought that meant right now."
"What're you writing, KyuJong ah?" Xander asked, crawling over to where the time traveler was seated, peering over his shoulder like a curious puppy.
"Theories," KyuJong frowned down at the paper. "I was never good at them though...just trying to figure out exactly how I managed to go somewhere else in space." After the unlocking, a whole bunch of ideas had come to mind, but he was having difficulty sorting them all out.
"Did you ask SooHyun ah what he does when he teleports?" DongHae asked, pointing at the teleporter. "It might help."
Looking up as his name was mentioned, SooHyun grinned at KyuJong. "If you have any questions, ask away. I'm sure I can at least attempt to give you an answer."
Kibum grinned. "But don't ask if it involves him moving. I'm comfortable."
"Brat," SooHyun chuckled, dropping a kiss to the side of his neck.
"No moving, got it," KyuJong smiled at the two. "Well, how do you teleport exactly?" He watched DongHae out of the corner of his eye as the older man shakily stood up on the ceiling, arms out for balance as he took wobbly steps.
"Well, now it's just second nature, but when I was first learning, which is about where you are, I would picture a place in my head and just tell myself that I wanted to be there," SooHyun explained. "In the beginning, though, it would only work with places I had been before."
KyuJong nodded slowly, frowning a little. "That was how I ended up in my house...but it's never happened before."
"Well, we figured out it was part of the unlock, so it makes sense that it hasn't happened before," RyeoWook murmured, falling asleep. He nudged at JongWoon sitting at his feet. "Go away hyung, I'm not healing you any more. But KyuJong hyung, I think it's safe to say your power still mainly revolves around time. Or else the space part would have become second nature after the unlock."
The time traveler nodded, figuring that made sense. And he'd tried 'teleporting' again once he was fully rested, nearly knocking himself out again. It took far more energy for him to move in space than in time.
"Where's HyunJoong?" He asked then, looking at RyeoWook. The healer was usually attached to the older man's side.
"Another meeting," RyeoWook sighed, looking at the time. "It won't be ending anytime soon."
"He has a lot of meetings," KyuJong frowned in concern.
"It's because the older whackjobs are still trying to take over by all but overwhelming him and killing him with work," Nicole told him as she walked into the training room.
"But why?" KyuJong looked at her, not understanding. "From what I've seen, he's been doing an amazing job." He'd been back for nearly a month, and though a few minor incidents had come up sometimes, it was still great how HyunJoong was managing to lead the cell despite being only 18.
Nicole bit her lip and looked around, making sure that HyunJoong wouldn't magically pop up behind her. "They would have him as a resource than a leader. His ability is pretty powerful after all..."
KyuJong nodded slowly. "He's very strong...Even with all the training two years ago, he wouldn't be able to do everything he's doing right now."
"He got strong really fast," DongHae put in from the ceiling.
"You don't even know the half of it, Hae," Nicole laughed before shutting up. Maybe she shouldn't have said that.
"Huh?" JongWoon sat up from where he was draped across the floor. "Half of what?" KyuJong blinked, watching Nicole in slight confusion. RyeoWook shifted uncomfortably on the couch.
Nicole let out a whine at the fact that she had forgotten about just how bad of gossip mongers DongHae and JongWoon were. She knew that she wasn't getting out of it, though. Moving to lock the door, she motioned everyone closer. "Anything I say does not leave this room, got it? If it does, you don't even want to know what I'll do to you."
Worried now, KyuJong glanced at the others before getting up to move over to Nicole. DongHae found a spot on the ceiling directly on top of them, JongWoon scrambling over as well, dragging RyeoWook along.
"Maybe we shouldn't be talking about this then?" RyeoWook protested.
"Too late now, Hyung," KiBum murmured as he turned his attention back to Nicole, playing with SooHyun's hands.
Nicole finally began speaking, looking at KyuJong. "So right after you disappeared and Min and Saeng were taken, Hyun Oppa tried to get them back, right? Did he tell you that?"
Brow furrowed, KyuJong nodded slowly. "He told me, yes, and that it didn't work." The others were quiet, listening.
"Well, after a while, he started getting really depressed and threw himself into training to make himself stronger. One day, me and Joonie were taking a walk to clear our heads when we heard yelling. Walking into the clearing, we saw HyunJoong freaking out," Nicole explained. " After a minute, he suddenly froze and just, passed out."
KyuJong's eyes widened in shock at that. He wasn't able to ask any questions, the others beating him to it. "What happened?" DongHae asked frantically, JongWoon echoing him. Even RyeoWook looked alarmed now.
Nicole was silent for a minute. Thinking back, HyunJoong had scared them all senseless. When they had returned home, HyunJoong secured on the youngest's back, all hell had broken loose. It was only after he had woken up some days later than they found out what had happened.
"...He had somehow managed to unlock himself," she finally replied.
There was shocked silence for a moment.
"...Unlock himself?" KyuJong murmured, eyes wide. "But...how?"
"I thought his power didn't work on himself?" JongWoon asked, eyes wide. "I mean, he can't exactly shut off his own power. How did..."
Nicole just shrugged. "We have no idea, and neither does HyunJoong Oppa. Actually, he barely remembers anything about that day. We think it has to do with how useless he felt and the guilt that just kept building."
KyuJong looked down at the floor, eyes sad. HyunJoong shouldn't have to feel guilty, he was doing everything he could and more. "So that's why he's able to do so much now, without the side effects like before?" he asked, looking up at Nicole.
"Oh, he still has side effects, just not as often as before," Nicole corrected.
"He gets migraines a lot," Xander offered as he played with his hair.
"I noticed that," KyuJong nodded sadly. "The meetings really can't be helping."
"It should be over soon," RyeoWook said, looking at his watch again.
SooHyun opened his mouth to comment as well but paused when he felt KiBum stiffen in his hold. "Bummie?" he asked, tightening his hold on his boyfriend.
Shifting slightly, KiBum shook his head slowly, signaling that he had been possessed.
"Who is it?" he asked.
"KyungMi," he responded quietly, voice overshadowed by a feminine tone.
KyuJong blinked in utter confusion for a moment, before he remembered that KiBum was a medium, meaning this was a spirit. "Who's KyungMi?" he murmured, glancing to DongHae who was now floating beside him for an explanation.
"The nice spirit who's been keeping an eye on YoungSaeng ah," DongHae replied quietly, eyes wide. KyuJong's own eyes widened as he looked at KiBum, all his attention on the possessed boy.
"He's resting now," the woman said through KiBum before resting eyes on KyuJong. Blinking, KiBum's head tilted to the side. "Well I'll be. You wouldn't happen to be 'Kyu yah', would you?"
KyuJong's voice was stuck in his throat, and he could just nod for a moment. "Yes, that's me," he said, swallowing thickly. "I-is he...is YoungSaeng okay?" he asked, trying to keep his voice from shaking.
The smile the appeared on KiBum's face was a sad one. "He's alive," was the reply that came. "Losing hope quickly, however this bit of news may help."
Heart hurting, KyuJong drew in a shaky breath, fingers curling around the notebook and pencil in his grip. "Please, are you able to tell us where he is?" he pleaded. "Where this place is located?" Here was their chance, and then they could finally get YoungSaeng and JungMin out.
"Seoul," the spirit replied. "He is in the one place that he swore to never go back to."
A moment later, KiBum jerked, eyes blinking rapidly as he regained his bearings. "Spirit?" he asked.
"Spirit," SooHyun confirmed.
RyeoWook shuffled over to KiBum to make sure he was okay. "What did he mean?" DongHae blinked.
KyuJong was staring down at his notebook. The place he would never go back to...
Suddenly it clicked and his eyes widened. "RyeoWook, when does HyunJoong's meeting end?" he asked hurriedly.
"In half an hour," RyeoWook replied, looking back at him.
That was enough time. "Tell him when he gets out to meet me in my house," KyuJong said, before hurrying out of the room. He had to get that address.
YoungSaeng was in the mental hospital.
**************************
By the time HyunJoong got to KyuJong's house, he was exhausted, having run every step of the way once he was told the message from DongHae. Reaching the door, he just walked in as he usually did, looking around for KyuJong. "Kyu?" he called.
KyuJong's mother looked up from the kitchen table. "He's in his room sweetie," she said, looking worried.
With a quick thank you, HyunJoong got out of his shoes and ran upstairs, practically falling over once he made it into KyuJong's room.
"What's going on?" he panted, hands on his knees as he tried to regain his breath.
KyuJong was at his desk with his laptop, busy taking notes down. When HyunJoong came into the room, he turned around in his seat, eyes bright.
"We've got it," he said, holding out a piece of paper with an address written in careful handwriting. "YoungSaeng and JungMin, they're here."
HyunJoong froze at the mention of JungMin's name, but managed to move on. "H-how do you know where they are?" he asked, confused.
"KiBum ah was possessed by KyungMi, the spirit who's with Saeng," KyuJong said, holding on to the chair tightly. "She said that YoungSaeng was in 'the one place he swore never to go back to'." He looked up at HyunJoong, holding out the address again to him. "It's the mental hospital, Hyun, they're in the mental hospital."
Straightening, HyunJoong took slow steps toward KyuJong and reached out for the address, but hesitated. "We never knew what that meant," he murmured. "We always just thought it meant his house." Looking up at KyuJong, he looked every bit the kid he still was. "Do you really think Min's there, too?" he asked, voice quiet.
KyuJong didn't want to give false hope, but he knew how much this meant to HyunJoong, who had suffered through two years of hell. "We're never going to know if we don't go, right?" he smiled up at the older man. "If we found one, we can find the other, promise."
It took a moment, but finally, HyunJoong nodded, smile on his face. "Well, I suppose we should get back and start planning, huh?"
"Right," KyuJong beamed up at him before standing. He pulled HyunJoong into a tight hug. "We're going to get them back," he murmured, new conviction in his voice.
Wrapping his arms around KyuJong, HyunJoong found himself burying his face into the other's shoulder for a moment before pulling away, meeting the conviction with his own. "Of course we are."
Grinning, KyuJong leaned over and picked up all the papers with how to get there, and printed maps of the area, closing his laptop before turning back to HyunJoong. "Let's get going, we have work to do." He took HyunJoong's hand and left his room.
***************************
"And you're sure about this," HyungJoon said once KyuJong and HyunJoong had finished their explanation.
"Well, we aren't positive, but it's more than we had before, right?" HyunJoong pointed out.
"I know that's where YoungSaeng would never want to go back to, even more than his house," KyuJong said firmly. "And it makes sense, it's a government building with the proper facilities to contain people. Many mental hospitals are just as secure as prisons."
"That makes our job more difficult though," RyeoWook said quietly. "How are we going to get in?" He pulled the printed map into the middle of the table they'd set up, peering at it.
Xander shrugged. "I can be a super good distraction," he suggested, continuing before HyunJoong could argue. "The only person that they want to capture more than me is you, so you know that it'll work."
"That doesn't mean that I have to like it. I don't like the idea of my people being distractions."
"I can stick around him and pull him out before anything happens," Nicole suggested. "They can't follow me into the ground."
"You're going to end up in someone's basement again," HaRa said.
"Better than the alternative."
"I can be the emergency exit if we need to get out in a hurry," JongWoon offered. "No need for a proper door."
Looking around, HyunJoong sighed. "Okay. HaRa and RyeoWook will both be coming since we have no idea how injured anyone in there is, because if we go there, we're getting out as many people as we can," he began. "KiBum, I want you and Hae to prepare the infirmary for as many patients as we have supplies for just in case."
"We can do that," DongHae nodded, glancing to KiBum. "How are we going to get them all back here? That's quite the distance if we don't know how many people we're bringing back."
"My father's offered to bring people back and forth in his van," KyuJong spoke up. "Are we able to get any other cars?"
SooHyun spoke up. "I can bring people back and forth as well," he offered with a nod of his head.
"That's a lot of trips, though," Xander pointed out.
"I'll be fine as long as I take a rest before and after we're done."
"So how many people does that leave to go in?" HaRa asked. "Are we going to have enough numbers?"
"There's HyunJoong, myself, HaRa, RyeoWook, JongWoon, SooHyun..." KyuJong counted.
"I think keeping this small will actually help us," Xander said. "I mean, we'll be less noticeable and can move a bit more freely," he pointed out.
"I hope you guys aren't forgetting about me," HyunSeung remarked with a grin as he entered the room.
HyunJoong smiled. "Of course not. I just wasn't sure when you'd be back."
"So we got HyunSeung too," DongHae grinned. "What else?"
"I think it would be best if I were to set up a healing circle somewhere discreet?" RyeoWook said, looking at the map. "You can bring all the injured people to me while they're waiting to be taken here."
Listening to what RyeoWook said, HyunJoong nodded. "Good idea, Wookie. How about you set up a circle just about here," he said, pointing to an area a good distance away. "HaRa can make sure they're fit for travel and SooHyun can bring them to you," he suggested, earning a nod from SooHyun and HaRa.
"How soon can we go?" KyuJong asked.
"We should have at least a day to rest fully, make sure everyone's in top condition," RyeoWook said quietly.
At that, HyunJoong looked over at KyuJong. "How are you doing? Think you got enough control for this?" he asked.
KyuJong nodded. "I've been practicing a lot. Moving in space is very tiring, but my control over time's gotten much better."
Nodding his head, HyunJoong looked around before leaning in, his voice lowering. "Three days. I have no idea how I'm gonna get out of the meetings to rest, but I'll figure something out."
"They better let you rest," DongHae pouted. "Or we'll send JongWoon hyung after them."
"You're going to rest now, right hyung?" RyeoWook piped up, looking at HyunJoong.
"He will when I go tell those jerks that he's fallen sick and needs to be on bedrest," HaRa stated, frown on her face at the thought of them.
"Good idea, maybe they'll finally leave him alone," Nicole sighed.
KyuJong nodded, looking down at the papers in front of them. Three days...then they would be able to get YoungSaeng and JungMin out, as well as as many people as they possibly could. "I think I'm going to get some more practice in," he said, standing.
"Practice sounds good," DongHae agreed, standing as well.
"Everyone rests the day before," RyeoWook said firmly, and DongHae patted him on the head.
"I suppose that I'll go get as much work done as I can since I know that you two are planning to barricade me in my room," HyunJoong chuckled, looking pointedly at RyeoWook and HaRa.
"Well, if it'll get you to rest," HaRa stated with a bright smile.
Shaking his head, HyunJoong looked over at SooHyun and Xander. "You two are off duty as of now, so feel free to do whatever you want, and HyunSeung, stay away from sharp objects, because we'll need you at a hundred percent."
"Yessir!" they all yelled, mock saluting.
KyuJong laughed at the salutes, smiling a little brighter as he gathered up the papers and left the room. They were finally going to get YoungSaeng and JungMin back.
He was going to train as much as he could in the time left, because they would only have one shot at this, and they couldn't fail.