From the Soul to the Song
Book One: Melody of the Ensouled
Verse Twenty Nine
Kangin watched with apprehension settling firmly in his gut as Leeteuk spoke in hushed tones with his manger. After the short conversation, the manager walked out the door, leaving the two of them alone in Kangin’s apartment. Leeteuk rounded on him as soon as the door clicked shut, his expression unreadable.
“SME has agreed to see how things play out for the time being,” he announced, crossing his arms. “Starting a fight, even when drunk, isn’t like you. Not to mention that you weren’t even that drunk.”
“I swear I didn’t start anything,” Kangin began. “It was a Dark One but I know that is not an excuse.”
Leeteuk’s arms dropped in shock as did his mouth. “Wait a Dark One?”
Kangin nodded. “Yeah, he was in a human body but I could tell it was there. I don’t know how I knew, I just did. I think it wanted me to know.” He took a deep breath. “I think it wanted me to get into a fight, because it knew how it would look. I swear I didn’t do anything more than resist its taunting.”
Leeteuk sighed and sank into a chair, “Kangin they have video that shows that you didn’t start it but you weren’t completely innocent either.”
“He was trying to steal Songs,” Kangin said softly. “Was I just supposed to let him?”
“No,” Leeteuk answered immediately. He lifted a hand and rubbed at his temple. “This is the last thing we need, Dark Ones running around and terrorizing things. Next time call someone at least. You didn’t even have any power to do anything.”
“I had enough that I shielded as many of the normal people from it for as long as I could,” Kangin replied. “Then I had to hope it would follow me outside. I didn’t kill it. It’s still out there.”
“If it shows up again we will deal with it,” Leeteuk said after a moment. “Right now we have to worry about keeping you out of trouble. This is going to take so much work to spin this in a positive light.”
Kangin rose and moved behind Leeteuk. He placed his hand lightly on the back of the man’s neck as if waiting for some sort of retaliation. When nothing happened he began to slowly work the muscle there, moving on a path towards Leeteuk’s shoulders. “I am sorry.”
Leeteuk sighed. “It’s not your fault. I know how your protective instincts work. Just try to keep them a bit under control next time will you. We have enough issues with fans having panic attacks because Kibum is gone filming.”
Kangin chuckled lightly, “If they are worried about him leaving they should talk to Donghae. He will set them straight.” His hands slid from Leeteuk shoulders down his chest as his touch turned from professional to teasing.
“If you think,” Leeteuk said lazily as he tipped his head back. “That this means you are getting off easy, you are so wrong. You will be receiving a proper lecture from you leader.” He hummed as Kangin’s hands skimmed low on his stomach, teasing the fabric of his shirt up and his lips found the skin of Leeteuk’s neck.
Kangin smiled and nipped Leeteuk’s the skin playfully. “I’ll look forward to it,” he replied with a smirk as he worked his way around the chair and coaxed Leeteuk to stand.
“You had better. It’s going to be a good one,” Leeteuk said lazily as Kangin pulled him closer.
“I can imagine,” Kangin replied. He pressed his lips to Leeteuk’s before the other man could say anything further, signifying the end of their conversation and the start of something else entirely.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
“Have you had any problems with Dark Ones?” Leeteuk asked as he watched the faces on the computer screen the next day.
“None,” Hankyung answered from the other side of the connection. “We haven’t had anything but normal interactions and filming here. I’m not sure but I think Donghae might be able to feel the difference if there was one.” Behind him Donghae nodded.
“Be careful and keep your eyes open. I’m sure you’ve heard about Kangin’s assault by now,” Leeteuk informed them.
“That was a Dark One?” Siwon asked from his spot by Hankyung’s left side.
Leeteuk sighed. “Yes. He said it provoked him. I’m not really sure what happened and I don’t trust that it didn’t tampered with the surveillance tape somehow.”
“Hey!” Eunhyuk’s voice came from the other side of the room. “Is that a web chat with China?!” Leeteuk sighed again as the man crossed the room at a full run, tried to stop in front of the computer and found that socks on hard wood wouldn’t allow for the maneuver. He tumbled onto the couch just beyond the computer, and bounded right back up again.
“Was that Eunhyuk I just saw streak by?” Donghae asked hopefully.
Leeteuk sighed. “Yes.”
“Donghae!” Eunhyuk exclaimed as he managed to move a slightly more sedate pace into the path of the web camera. He nearly tipped Heechul out of his computer chair in his excitement and Heechul glared and elbowed him in retaliation.
“Eunhyuk!” Donghae answered clearly equally excited. They began chattering at such a fast rate that the other members had trouble even making out a single word.
Leeteuk rolled his eyes and headed to his room. With the two of them chatting like they hadn’t talked to each other in years despite the fact they had spoken only hours ago, he would never manage to get a word in edgewise. Thankfully there was nothing more he needed to say.
Heechul growled and elbowed Eunhyuk again. When Eunhyuk continued to ignore him and hover over him in front of the screen, he stood from his chair and mouthed ‘Call me’ to Hankyung. On the screen the Chinese man nodded and grabbed Siwon, pulling him away from the computer and allowing Donghae to slip into his place. A moment later Heechul’s phone rang. He answered it and immediately began to grumble about inconsiderate members.
His rant was silenced by the slamming of his door and Eunhyuk smiled. “I’ve missed you.”
“I know. Well be visiting in two day,” Donghae responded excitedly.
Eunhyuk’s smile widened. “I can’t wait.”
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
Their visit had come and gone, quicker than anyone would have liked. Still there were no further incidents or sightings of the Dark Ones. Since there wasn’t really anything they could do about it until the Dark Ones showed themselves, they certainly hadn’t been given a Dark One locating device, they would simply have to wait. Life would have to go on as normal and that meant continuing activities in other countries and attending a countless number of filming.
Leeteuk nodded his thanks to Eunhyuk as the other man handed him a cold bottle of water. He opened it and took a sip, watching as Eunhyuk pulled out his phone, typed something quickly and then replaced it in his pocket. “You are still texting Donghae all the time?”
Eunhyuk smiled a little sheepishly, taking a drink of his own water. “He is lonely.”
“And clingy according to Ryeowook,” Yesung added as he stepped up with his arm thrown around Onew’s shoulder.
Onew smiled. “Donghae has been clingy every time I have seen him. How is that any different?”
Yesung smirked. “Think of your sock, the piece of fabric that clings to your skin most of the day and sometimes all night and just might drive you a little bit crazy at times even though you love it and need it; that is Donghae in China.”
“He just doesn’t like to be away from the rest of the group,” Leeteuk said affectionately.
“I don’t blame him,” Onew agreed with a smile. “I would hate that too.”
“Aww so little and already attached,” Yesung said as he ruffled Onew’s hair affectionately. “Come on we have a filming we need to get back to,” Yesung informed them, turning Onew and pointing him in the right direction. The younger man went without further prompting, trying to smooth his hair back to the way it was supposed to be as he did so. Leeteuk laughed and followed them, while Eunhyuk checked his phone one more time before doing the same.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
Star King, by far, was one of Leeteuk’s favorite shows to film. Although the filmings were usually rather long and time consuming, they were some of the most enjoyable. It was only on this show that he could essentially play with his friends and fellow people in the industry for hours. He loved standing with a microphone and talking just as much as he loved making people laugh with his good friend Boom.
Times like that, when they were playing around on stage or digging through the box of props to see what they could use, made him forget all about things like Dark Ones or Kangin’s assault case the previous week. Work like this always helped him to remember why he was doing what he was. Why he loved entertaining.
Besides all of that, it was entirely too much fun for him to not only hang out with groups like SHINee, but to see how much they had grown and come into their own as well. They were all present today, all the members of SHINee, and they had taken advantage of their time together. So far they had spent the morning playing with a dancing couple, a few singers, and one strange aerobic group that had them all trying their hardest to stifle their laughter. After a long morning of filming, a good long lunch break was in order.
Leeteuk had just finished his lunch when his cell phone rang. He flipped it open and was a bit puzzled to see Minho’s name on his screen. “Hello?”
“Hyung, can you come to our dressing room and bring Eunhyuk and Yesung with you?” Minho asked him.
“Sure,” Leeteuk answered. There was the sound of the phone hanging up and Leeteuk pulled his phone away from his ear puzzled.
“Who was that?” Eunhyuk asked.
“Minho, he wants to see us in their dressing room,” Leeteuk told him.
Eunhyuk took a bite of his sandwich and rose to his feet. “Well let’s go then.” Leeteuk nodded and did the same all the while pondering what the reason for the abrupt call could be. On the way they snagged Yesung and told him where they were headed. He agreed to accompany them and fell into step just behind them.
A minute later, Leeteuk knocked on the door of SHINee’s assigned space, more out of politeness then any real need to do so. Minho opened the door and gestured them inside. Once inside, Leeteuk nodded a greeting to the other four members that were there. He was puzzled, however, to see not a single staff person present.
“Minho? Is everything alright?” Leeteuk asked turning to face the one who had called him.
Minho shut the door quietly and twisted the lock to seal it. When that was done he placed his hand flat on the wall beside the door frame. From the place where his palm touched the surface a ripple of rainbow light bubbled forth. It spread, as a ripple in a pound would, over the wall, the ceiling, and the floor, until it crossed over itself at the far wall. Once it had touched every surface of the enclosed space, the walls, ceiling, and floor flashed for a moment before settling back to a normal appearance.
Leeteuk was too busy staring at Minho to have even noticed the change in his surroundings. The change he had noticed was in the young man himself. As soon as the ripple had begun a pair of grey feathered wings had sprouted from Minho’s shoulders. They were much too small to be of any practical use for flying since they wouldn’t reach past his arm span when fully spread, a much smaller size then Kangin had had when they had fused. In addition to that they were nearly translucent, to the point that it wasn’t certain if they were really physically there or simply some illusion.
It was Minho’s eyes, however, that made Leeteuk take an involuntary step backwards. When the young man looked up, his irises had shifted to a brilliant green that almost glowed. He smiled and said, “Thank you for coming, Singer of Earth.”
Verse Thirty Masterlist Character Information AN: Well I couldn't wait any longer to give you all this chapter. It is about half as long as the last but that was where I choose to end in. I'm slowly writing your drabble requests so with any luck I'll be able to post a few of those for you all tonight as well.