Look, I Can Flutter Better Than You Thought (9/?)
He opened his eyes to find himself lying on the ground. Wincing, he pushed himself up onto a sitting position. His head spun, his body ached with the sudden movement and his right foot throbbed in pain. How badly did I hurt myself when I fell? It hurt, but he had to be strong. This was not the time to worry about something like that - he had to keep up, he had to escape -
Something hit him then, and he immediately looked around himself in panic. Realization sunk in as he noticed he was alone. He could not see or hear anyone else, and tears started pooling in his eyes as he whimpered, “Yoshi…kuni…?”
He then determinedly wiped his tears away with the back of his hand, massaged his right ankle, and, with great care, stood himself up. He took a few careful steps forward, ignoring the pain in his foot. He continued to limp forward slowly, vaguely wondering how much time he had lost and how behind he was.
Yoshikuni…
He started hearing loud voices, the rustling of leaves, and the crushing of twigs and dried leaves under fast footsteps coming from behind him. His pulse quickened and he tried to take faster steps.
His breathing got choked up as he realized he had started sobbing. Fear had gotten the better of him as the noises got nearer and he heard his name being called over and over again. He sobbed harder. With one last cry of pain, he succumbed and collapsed to the ground.
He then heard the voices coming from somewhere very close to him, and he felt hands grabbing at him and lifting him up.
*
The next time he came to, he found himself in one of the sacred rooms back at the mansion. He quickly got up to his feet. His right ankle was still throbbing, so he limped his way to the door. Grabbing the handle, he tried to slide it open, but it wouldn’t budge. He started panicking, and began pounding at the door.
No… No… This is not happening…
Defeated, he set his back against the wooden door and slid down slowly to the floor. He buried his face in his hands and started crying.
Moments later, he heard footsteps from the other side of the door. There was a faint talking voice too. He brought his head up against the door and placed his ear on it.
“Minawa-niisan, are you happy now?...”
His ears perked up as he recognized the voice.
“Taiki-kun, Minawa-kun! Taiki-kun, can you hear me?” he called in desperation. He heard the rushing pit-pat of footsteps, stopping directly at the other side of the door.
“Shinji-kun? …Shinji-kun, you’re here!”
“Taiki-kun! I’m so glad I’ve found you. I’m locked in. Please, help me get out of this room.”
A moment of silence ensued.
“Taiki-kun? Are you there? …Is Minawa-kun there too?”
“Shinji-kun… I’m sorry. I can’t help you. This is the only way. Minawa-niisan is very lonely. You have to go and join him soon, so that he won’t be lonely anymore…”
His mouth fell open slightly at Taiki’s answer. He could picture the look on the boy’s face clearly as he said those words, probably as he softly caressed the doll that never left his hands.
*
He woke up to the racket of people breaking into the room he was in. Four veiled priests had entered and were now approaching him without saying a word. His eyes darted around at them nervously as two of the priests seized him by the arms and dragged him forcefully out the door.
*
He was brought to the main hall, the biggest one in the mansion. As he walked in, rows of veiled priests stood on either side of him, stomping their staffs and chanting prayers, egging him on to move forward.
His palms were sweating, and fear shook his whole body. He knew what was coming for him, but he wondered how he was going to do it alone. He reached the center of the hall, and what awaited him there made his skin crawl and his blood drain from his face.
There, hanging from the supporting beams on the ceiling, was a noose.
*
The ritual had failed. Of course it had. A ritual involving the bond of two lovers’ souls could not be performed by only one.
He felt extreme anguish, sorrow and pain. Demon’s Mouth wouldn’t accept his lone body, his single sacrifice. He was spit back up to the surface, rejected, and a horde of tortured spirits from past sacrifices followed him up. The huge hall was in chaos.
The mansion was enveloped in darkness. Screams hung in the air as the tortured spirits made their pain and sorrow known as they swept through the mansion, leaving nothing alive behind them.
-
As Jonghyun lay awake on the futon, everything that they had gone through together as SHINee started running through his mind. Their trainee days, their debut, their album promotions, performing for shows and special events, appearing on variety and reality shows, the many interviews, the fanmeets and autograph-signing sessions, the overseas promotions and the touring.
It all seemed so far away now. It felt like he and Jinki were in another lifetime.
Jonghyun turned on his side to face Jinki. He was lying on his side too, facing Jonghyun. His eyes were shut, chest heaving up and down in a constant rhythm - Jinki was finally having his long-deserved rest.
If their days in super stardom were in another lifetime, then what they were going through now would be another whole different one; an alternate reality.
Jonghyun recalled the terrifying moments they had had in the mansion. Here, time stood still, and he had no idea how long they had been wandering around aimlessly, fighting off ghosts and digging themselves deeper into the tragedy that was the ancient Japanese ritual.
Jonghyun remembered Jinki’s strangled gasp earlier on while he was too preoccupied with wallowing himself in self-pity. Jonghyun had rushed to Jinki’s side in a state of anxiety, repeatedly calling his name. Jinki had been taking in quick, shallow breaths before they calmed down a bit and Jinki shut his eyes slowly.
It got Jonghyun worried to death.
Guilt had overcome Jonghyun then and he settled his weary body down next to Jinki, watching the serene expression on Jinki’s face, in spite of all that had happened. He realized he hadn’t been fair to Jinki. They were both in this together, and what he had been doing was only giving Jinki a harder time.
Jonghyun sighed heavily, and was surprised when he saw one lonely tear escape Jinki’s right eye.
What are you dreaming of, hyung?
Jinki’s eyes fluttered open slowly, as if he’d read Jonghyun’s mind.
They stared at each other for a while, Jonghyun studying every little detail of Jinki’s facial features. He went back to Jinki’s eyes, boring into them, trying to read into his soul.
“What, Jjong?” Jinki whispered softly.
Something tugged at Jonghyun’s heartstrings, and for an instant, he felt like he had seen all of Jinki through the blackness of his pupils. He saw the depths of Jinki’s soul, exposed and vulnerable, naked and bare. He felt like he knew Jinki since before the beginning of time. He knew all of him, from the tiniest of dust specks to the vastness of the universe.
Jonghyun’s eyes flitted to Jinki’s lips. Before he realized it, he was leaning in closer, slowly closing his eyes. He felt Jinki’s sharp intake of air just before his lips met Jinki’s.
Kissing Jinki felt like kissing soft flower petals.
Jonghyun pulled back and before Jinki could open his eyes he kissed him again. He softly caressed his arms and Jinki sighed contentedly in response. He felt Jinki’s hands snaking around his waist and pulling him closer, setting his body flush against his. He gasped in slight surprise, and in that moment of distraction, Jinki slipped his tongue into his mouth.
The kiss got deeper as they played with each other’s tongues. Jonghyun brought his hand up and tangled it in Jinki’s hair. Jinki reciprocated and cupped his hand behind Jonghyun’s neck. They broke for air, panting a little to match their erratically beating hearts.
Jinki leaned in again and began sucking on Jonghyun’s lower lip. He slowly made his way down to Jonghyun’s chin, and then his neck, kissing and sucking on the skin. Jonghyun trembled as the sensations brought him great pleasure.
“Hyung… Jinki-hyung…” Jonghyun whispered. Jonghyun cupped Jinki’s jaw with both hands and brought his head up so that he was looking straight into Jinki’s eyes.
“I’m sorry about earlier. If it’s what you want, I’ll do the ritual with you… Because I realize now, just how much I love you…”
Jonghyun gave Jinki a final peck on the lips before snuggling up to him, getting himself comfortable by Jinki’s side. Their chests heaved up and down simultaneously, hearts pumping in tandem.
-
Jonghyun woke up with a start. He could feel in his guts that something was wrong.
And it was right.
Next to him, where Jinki should have been, was just emptiness. Jinki was nowhere in sight. Jonghyun called out to him repeatedly as he searched the room. He opened the closet door and checked behind the dresser. He even tried to use his sixth sense to feel if Jinki was nearby. It was useless, and Jinki was nowhere to be found.
Jonghyun cursed profusely. Grabbing whatever items that might be useful to him, he headed for the door. He gave a quick sigh of relief when he found that it wasn’t locked anymore. Bracing himself, he stepped out into the hallway.
The only thing on his mind right then was to find Jinki, no matter what it took.
-
A/N: *FLAILS* I never planned to include that... that making-out scene when I first decided to write this story! >.< I've never written those things, lol. Awesomely bad, right?? D: Oh wells.
Chapter 10>>>
Something hit him then, and he immediately looked around himself in panic. Realization sunk in as he noticed he was alone. He could not see or hear anyone else, and tears started pooling in his eyes as he whimpered, “Yoshi…kuni…?”
He then determinedly wiped his tears away with the back of his hand, massaged his right ankle, and, with great care, stood himself up. He took a few careful steps forward, ignoring the pain in his foot. He continued to limp forward slowly, vaguely wondering how much time he had lost and how behind he was.
Yoshikuni…
He started hearing loud voices, the rustling of leaves, and the crushing of twigs and dried leaves under fast footsteps coming from behind him. His pulse quickened and he tried to take faster steps.
His breathing got choked up as he realized he had started sobbing. Fear had gotten the better of him as the noises got nearer and he heard his name being called over and over again. He sobbed harder. With one last cry of pain, he succumbed and collapsed to the ground.
He then heard the voices coming from somewhere very close to him, and he felt hands grabbing at him and lifting him up.
*
The next time he came to, he found himself in one of the sacred rooms back at the mansion. He quickly got up to his feet. His right ankle was still throbbing, so he limped his way to the door. Grabbing the handle, he tried to slide it open, but it wouldn’t budge. He started panicking, and began pounding at the door.
No… No… This is not happening…
Defeated, he set his back against the wooden door and slid down slowly to the floor. He buried his face in his hands and started crying.
Moments later, he heard footsteps from the other side of the door. There was a faint talking voice too. He brought his head up against the door and placed his ear on it.
“Minawa-niisan, are you happy now?...”
His ears perked up as he recognized the voice.
“Taiki-kun, Minawa-kun! Taiki-kun, can you hear me?” he called in desperation. He heard the rushing pit-pat of footsteps, stopping directly at the other side of the door.
“Shinji-kun? …Shinji-kun, you’re here!”
“Taiki-kun! I’m so glad I’ve found you. I’m locked in. Please, help me get out of this room.”
A moment of silence ensued.
“Taiki-kun? Are you there? …Is Minawa-kun there too?”
“Shinji-kun… I’m sorry. I can’t help you. This is the only way. Minawa-niisan is very lonely. You have to go and join him soon, so that he won’t be lonely anymore…”
His mouth fell open slightly at Taiki’s answer. He could picture the look on the boy’s face clearly as he said those words, probably as he softly caressed the doll that never left his hands.
*
He woke up to the racket of people breaking into the room he was in. Four veiled priests had entered and were now approaching him without saying a word. His eyes darted around at them nervously as two of the priests seized him by the arms and dragged him forcefully out the door.
*
He was brought to the main hall, the biggest one in the mansion. As he walked in, rows of veiled priests stood on either side of him, stomping their staffs and chanting prayers, egging him on to move forward.
His palms were sweating, and fear shook his whole body. He knew what was coming for him, but he wondered how he was going to do it alone. He reached the center of the hall, and what awaited him there made his skin crawl and his blood drain from his face.
There, hanging from the supporting beams on the ceiling, was a noose.
*
The ritual had failed. Of course it had. A ritual involving the bond of two lovers’ souls could not be performed by only one.
He felt extreme anguish, sorrow and pain. Demon’s Mouth wouldn’t accept his lone body, his single sacrifice. He was spit back up to the surface, rejected, and a horde of tortured spirits from past sacrifices followed him up. The huge hall was in chaos.
The mansion was enveloped in darkness. Screams hung in the air as the tortured spirits made their pain and sorrow known as they swept through the mansion, leaving nothing alive behind them.
-
As Jonghyun lay awake on the futon, everything that they had gone through together as SHINee started running through his mind. Their trainee days, their debut, their album promotions, performing for shows and special events, appearing on variety and reality shows, the many interviews, the fanmeets and autograph-signing sessions, the overseas promotions and the touring.
It all seemed so far away now. It felt like he and Jinki were in another lifetime.
Jonghyun turned on his side to face Jinki. He was lying on his side too, facing Jonghyun. His eyes were shut, chest heaving up and down in a constant rhythm - Jinki was finally having his long-deserved rest.
If their days in super stardom were in another lifetime, then what they were going through now would be another whole different one; an alternate reality.
Jonghyun recalled the terrifying moments they had had in the mansion. Here, time stood still, and he had no idea how long they had been wandering around aimlessly, fighting off ghosts and digging themselves deeper into the tragedy that was the ancient Japanese ritual.
Jonghyun remembered Jinki’s strangled gasp earlier on while he was too preoccupied with wallowing himself in self-pity. Jonghyun had rushed to Jinki’s side in a state of anxiety, repeatedly calling his name. Jinki had been taking in quick, shallow breaths before they calmed down a bit and Jinki shut his eyes slowly.
It got Jonghyun worried to death.
Guilt had overcome Jonghyun then and he settled his weary body down next to Jinki, watching the serene expression on Jinki’s face, in spite of all that had happened. He realized he hadn’t been fair to Jinki. They were both in this together, and what he had been doing was only giving Jinki a harder time.
Jonghyun sighed heavily, and was surprised when he saw one lonely tear escape Jinki’s right eye.
What are you dreaming of, hyung?
Jinki’s eyes fluttered open slowly, as if he’d read Jonghyun’s mind.
They stared at each other for a while, Jonghyun studying every little detail of Jinki’s facial features. He went back to Jinki’s eyes, boring into them, trying to read into his soul.
“What, Jjong?” Jinki whispered softly.
Something tugged at Jonghyun’s heartstrings, and for an instant, he felt like he had seen all of Jinki through the blackness of his pupils. He saw the depths of Jinki’s soul, exposed and vulnerable, naked and bare. He felt like he knew Jinki since before the beginning of time. He knew all of him, from the tiniest of dust specks to the vastness of the universe.
Jonghyun’s eyes flitted to Jinki’s lips. Before he realized it, he was leaning in closer, slowly closing his eyes. He felt Jinki’s sharp intake of air just before his lips met Jinki’s.
Kissing Jinki felt like kissing soft flower petals.
Jonghyun pulled back and before Jinki could open his eyes he kissed him again. He softly caressed his arms and Jinki sighed contentedly in response. He felt Jinki’s hands snaking around his waist and pulling him closer, setting his body flush against his. He gasped in slight surprise, and in that moment of distraction, Jinki slipped his tongue into his mouth.
The kiss got deeper as they played with each other’s tongues. Jonghyun brought his hand up and tangled it in Jinki’s hair. Jinki reciprocated and cupped his hand behind Jonghyun’s neck. They broke for air, panting a little to match their erratically beating hearts.
Jinki leaned in again and began sucking on Jonghyun’s lower lip. He slowly made his way down to Jonghyun’s chin, and then his neck, kissing and sucking on the skin. Jonghyun trembled as the sensations brought him great pleasure.
“Hyung… Jinki-hyung…” Jonghyun whispered. Jonghyun cupped Jinki’s jaw with both hands and brought his head up so that he was looking straight into Jinki’s eyes.
“I’m sorry about earlier. If it’s what you want, I’ll do the ritual with you… Because I realize now, just how much I love you…”
Jonghyun gave Jinki a final peck on the lips before snuggling up to him, getting himself comfortable by Jinki’s side. Their chests heaved up and down simultaneously, hearts pumping in tandem.
-
Jonghyun woke up with a start. He could feel in his guts that something was wrong.
And it was right.
Next to him, where Jinki should have been, was just emptiness. Jinki was nowhere in sight. Jonghyun called out to him repeatedly as he searched the room. He opened the closet door and checked behind the dresser. He even tried to use his sixth sense to feel if Jinki was nearby. It was useless, and Jinki was nowhere to be found.
Jonghyun cursed profusely. Grabbing whatever items that might be useful to him, he headed for the door. He gave a quick sigh of relief when he found that it wasn’t locked anymore. Bracing himself, he stepped out into the hallway.
The only thing on his mind right then was to find Jinki, no matter what it took.
-
A/N: *FLAILS* I never planned to include that... that making-out scene when I first decided to write this story! >.< I've never written those things, lol. Awesomely bad, right?? D: Oh wells.
Chapter 10>>>