What Doesn't Kill You / Side Story: Leeteuk
Title: What Doesn't Kill You / Side Story: Leeteuk
Genre: Superhero AU, action
Rating: PG-13
Chapter 12 < ----- > Chapter 13
---
His name was Park Jungsu. He had craters for dimples and an infectious laugh that bordered on maniacal. He was a highschooler that cared more about confessing to the girl in Class 3-B than grades or his future. Park Jungsu was everyone’s friend. Popular, always smiling, a natural born leader, funny…
He couldn’t say that his highschool years were enjoyable. He spent it worrying about his appearance, worrying about his popularity. He needed everyone to like him.
Popularity was everything. Being liked and loved and looked for. That was what Jungsu lived for. If it meant acting like the class clown it didn’t matter. All eyes were on Park Jungsu. Being the center of attention was both gratifying and terrifying. One wrong move and he’d be disliked, ignored from that point onward. He had to choose his words carefully, but make it seem like it was coming naturally. It couldn’t seem staged.
He was seventeen, popular, and lonely.
In a world where he was surrounded by people who knew his name, he’d never felt so alone.
“Park Jungsu!”
He blinked, looked up from his notebook, and winced. Teacher Kim glared down at him from over her broad-rimmed glasses, piece of chalk held tightly between her fingers. He was certain the stick was going to snap. He gave a slow smile, “…yes?”
“I asked if you would be so kind as to take these papers to the main office.” She pointed at the papers she’d placed on his desk. “Or are you too busy doodling boobs on your notebook to do this simple task?”
Jungsu choked back a partial scream, partial laugh as everyone turned to look at him. He gave another smile, this one morphing into a mischievous grin. “Sorry teacher. It’s just, I have an anatomy test in my next period, so I was getting some extra studying in, I’ll do it right away, don’t hit me!” He scrambled out of his chair as she raised the hand with the chalk and hurried down the hallway with the papers held tightly to his chest.
“God…that woman is a harpy…”
The door behind him opened and a chalkboard eraser smacked into the back of his head.
He gave a long suffering sigh. Really, trying to bring smiles to everyone’s faces was never appreciated. His wit was going to waste away here. He headed down the hallway and blinked away a wave of dizziness. He had been feeling a little under the weather all morning, but he figured it was because he’d been up late the night before and he hadn’t eaten breakfast. Maybe he’d grab something from the vending machine on his way back…
“Oh, Park Jungsu! On errands again?”
“Ah, yeah vice-principal…” Jungsu nodded as the man greeted him. The main office was bustling with activity. The school secretary looked up at him briefly before going back to scribbling notes.
“These are from Teacher Kim…” Jungsu held out the papers and his arms felt weak. He couldn’t hold them up for long and found himself placing them on the edge of the desk so he didn’t drop them. The secretary sent him another look before going back to her work.
“You look a little pale, Jungsu. And you’re sweating. Perhaps you should go to the nurse’s office?” The vice-principal watched him worriedly.
Jungsu laughed. “I’m fine. Teacher Kim is waiting for me. I’ll be leaving then.” He bowed his head and turned to leave and had to grab onto the door handle to keep himself from falling.
“I really think you should go to the nurse’s office…” Vice Principal Lee continued, but Jungsu didn’t hear him. His eyes rolled back in his head and he pitched to the side.
---
He was awake, but his head throbbed and he didn’t have the energy to open his eyes. He could hear shuffling, a door opening and closing. A chair being dragged across a room. The screeching made him wince and it paused, as if the person had seen the action.
“Ya, pick up the chair, idiot.”
Jungsu finally managed to pry his eyes open. He blinked wearily up at a bright light before he turned his head away and toward the voices.
“I told you that you’d wake him up.”
“No you didn’t. All you did was hit me and order me to get you a chair.”
“He’s right hyung, you didn’t tell him.”
“You’re supposed to be on my side, you little idiot.”
Jungsu blinked again. The corners of his eyes stung, and every time he blinked his eyelids seemed to stick, as if he’d fallen asleep with contacts in. His head still throbbed, and every small movement seemed to make the pain grow.
A hand waved in front of his face. A flashing of light and then shadow. The movement made him nauseous. He gave a small groan.
“Hey, hey, wake up.”
He forced himself to sit, and regretted the action immediately. His vision blacked out as his head swam and he pitched forward, vomiting onto his lap. He stared down at the puddle of bile in his lap and swallowed. His mouth tasted sour.
“That was disgusting.”
He turned tiredly toward the person who had spoken and found himself staring.
The boy looked to be around the same age as he was, but Jungsu wondered if he really was a boy at all. He dressed like one, but his face was terribly feminine: full lips and large eyes and high cheekbones. His hair was a fluorescent red and pulled back in a short ponytail. He eyed Jungsu with amusement tinged with derision.
There were two others, who stood behind the chair the redhead sat in. One was around their age, his expression calm. Pleasant. The third was a young boy, probably twelve, with wild, unkept hair and a bright infectious smile. He waved shyly from behind the chair.
Where was he? Jungsu was more than a little confused. He’d been lying down in the nurse’s office and had fallen asleep. He vaguely remembered waking up in his house, staring up at his ceiling. He’d been in pain. His entire body had felt like it was on fire. But why was he here, in this whitewashed medical room?
“Are you going to stare at your own vomit all day or are you going to answer my question?”
Jungsu blinked. He hadn’t even realized he’d gone back to looking down at his lap until the feminine boy had spoken and he’d had to turn to look at him. He swallowed before opening his mouth to reply, “I…” He coughed, and swallowed a few more times to wet his throat. He could still taste the bile. “What did you ask me?”
The redhead rolled his eyes and gave a dramatic sigh. “What’s your name?”
His name. That was easy enough. “Jungsu.” He answered. “My name is Park Jungsu.”
“Your nose is huge.” The feminine teen leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Your dimples too.”
“Can I touch them?” The younger boy asked curiously.
“Of course not. You might catch his big nose genes.”
“I don’t think it works that way.” The other one replied. “Genetics aren’t contagious. How did you pass highschool biology?”
“I didn’t go to highschool, remember?” The pretty teen snapped, annoyed. “And it could be his gift, you know.”
“A big nose?”
“Contagious genes?”
“Um…” Jungsu swallowed. The three turned to him, as if only then remembering that he was there at all. “Who are all of you?”
The twelve-year-old leapt at the chance-quite literally. He landed on the edge of the bed. “I’m Donghae! I can turn into a spider monkey, wanna see?”
Jungsu was sure he hadn’t heard that correctly. “What?”
The redhead eyed him warily. “They haven’t explained anything to you yet, have they?”
“Explained what?” Jungsu was more than a little frustrated-and nauseous-at this point. Also, the bile was soaking through the thin white blanket and getting on his pants. Wait…he wasn’t wearing any pants, only a hospital gown. “What happened to me? Why am I at a hospital?”
“This isn’t a hospital.” The redhead answered casually. “This is The GAM Project’s Training Facility #3. Congratulations, you survived.”
---
It took three or so weeks for Jungsu to fully accept that he was no longer “normal” and that he would be living at the training facility for the rest of his life. The first few days had been filled with yelling, disbelief, restraints, panic. He wanted to see his family. He wanted to go back to living a normal life. The last thing he needed was to be a freak. Who would like someone like that?
Freaks were never popular.
The only redeeming feature of the whole thing was that here, being a freak was normal. Everyone had some kind of “gift” as they called it. His hadn’t appeared, and being in that liminal stage meant he was an outcast: weird and awkward and everything he’d always tried not to be. It was frustrating and terrifying.
It didn’t help that he had been put in a special dorm away from everyone else. His only roommate was an older man-in this thirties-whom he’d been introduced to but had forgotten the name of. The two of them had woken up around same time and had been sent here together. The other man’s power hadn’t appeared yet either.
Donghae visited a lot, and often dragged Jungsu out of his dorm room to eat with him and the others in the cafeteria. Donghae was difficult to resist, so it didn’t take much convincing to get him to come along. It was here that he learned who the feminine redhead was.
Kim Heechul, a seventeen-year-old pretty boy with the mind of a militant dictator, the temperament of a woman during menopause, and the ability to disintegrate anything he touched with his bare hands. Not surprisingly, the two of them didn’t get along in the beginning. At all.
Then there was Jay, whose nickname Typhoon was used in place of his real name by most everyone. Even Heechul seemed to call him Typhoon more than his given name, and that was saying something. After all, the two of them were inseparable. Donghae had said the two came to the facility together, part of the first group here.
Typhoon was…different. He was quiet and easygoing most of the time, but enjoyed teasing Heechul. And Heechul let him without any consequences whatsoever. The only two people that Heechul seemed to like were Donghae and Typhoon. He held a general apathy for the rest of the world and a special derision for those that got in his way.
He didn’t seem to handle authority well, and often snapped at the scientists. Jungsu found it rude, but he never said anything for the same reason that the scientists never said anything-though they would always scribble furiously in their notebooks when it happened. They were all afraid of Heechul’s power.
Heechul didn’t seem to like Jungsu, although he didn’t seem to hate him either. He liked to make fun of him, though, and Jungsu was always unable to snap back. When he’d asked once if they were kind of like super heros, Heechul had thrown his head back and cackled.
“What? Are you some kind of idiot? Super heroes don’t exist. This isn’t a manwha or a children’s cartoon. It’s human greed at its finest.”
Jungsu hadn’t understood what Heechul was getting at. The other boy was always so cynical. He talked down to everyone and disregarded them all. As if they were all below him. Any time anyone brought up how they were “helping the government” or that they had special gifts to help better the world he would snap at them and smile that snide smile of his.
Jungsu didn’t understand why Typhoon or Donghae liked him. Kim Heechul was obviously one of those bad apples that had been born bad and would stay bad. He didn’t even call Jungsu hyung despite how he always went on about “respecting your elders”.
Kim Heechul was someone he just couldn’t understand and whom he didn’t have the desire or patience to try to.
---
Halfway through week four, his power appeared. It was difficult for him to describe how he knew it had happened in the first place. It wasn’t something flashy, it wasn’t even something physical. No one else could see it, so it was impossible to prove that it had even happened at all.
It was poker night.
Somehow Donghae had dragged Jungsu to Heechul and his dorm and he found himself sitting on the edge of Donghae’s bed with the younger boy as they watched. Typhoon was there with the rest of his squad-none of them seemed fond of Heechul either, but only Xmas seemed to actually dislike him-and some other people that Heechul had deemed worthy enough to gamble with him.
Jungsu had gotten bored rather quickly. He didn’t really understand the rules of the game, so since it didn’t make sense to him, he wasn’t interested. Donghae had occupied himself with a video game and Jungsu wondered why he’d even invited Jungsu in the first place if he was going to ignore him and just play Donkey Kong.
He didn’t know how to describe it, but suddenly the air in the room seemed to have shifted. He felt lightheaded, blinking as he tried to brush off the feeling. He found himself centered on Xmas. The other man was looking at Heechul over the edge of his cards-at where Heechul was pushing Typhoon away as the other man tried to get a peek at his hand-and the air felt murderous.
He knew without a doubt that Xmas wanted to kill Heechul. He didn’t know why or how he knew. It was just a feeling that Xmas wasn’t a good person. Xmas had glanced over at Leeteuk, as if he’d known what he was thinking, and Jungsu had to excuse himself for the rest of the night.
---
He didn’t realize that his power was the ability to see and judge a person’s true intentions until a few days later. He seemed able to look at someone had decide immediately whether or not he could trust them.
No one’s “aura” as he’d deemed it had been quite as bad as Xmas’.
When he’d explained everything to the scientists they’d seemed surprised, or rather…disappointed in the fact that it was-
“Kind of useless, don’t you think?” Heechul supplied, not looking up from his magazine. “How is that going to help anyone?”
“It’s cool!” Donghae defended, eyes sparkling. “So you can tell when people are lying?”
“Er…no.” Jungsu shook his head. “It isn’t as simple as that. I can just tell if someone is…well, a bad person?”
“So you have like…super justice senses!” Donghae shouted, “Like a real super hero!”
Heechul snorted, turning a page of his magazine. It ripped with the force and he paused, before closing it completely and turning to Jungsu. “I don’t understand how you can be useful to anyone, but I guess someone has to have a shit power, right? It isn’t like everyone can have something good.”
Jungsu bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something he’d regret. There were lots of things he wanted to say to Kim Heechul, but he kept them to himself partially out of self preservation, and also because for some reason, he felt that he could trust him.
And that just didn’t make sense.
Also, the scientists at the facility seemed to agree with Heechul’s sentiment about Jungsu’s uselessness. Halfway through week seven he was taken to speak with the director and told about a project they wanted him to be a part of.
The chance to gain a power engineered just for himself. A useful power that would make him able to train and go on missions with the others.
You’ll be like everyone else. You’ll be able to fit in again.
His roommate-he still didn’t remember his name-was being given the same chance. The chance to get a new power. Jungsu didn’t even remember what his power was, although that wasn’t surprising, he didn’t even remember his name after all.
Jungsu took the offer.
He’d gotten an interesting mix of reactions from the others when he’d told them.
Heechul stared at him blankly, but there was something suspicious in his gaze, doubtful. “They’re going to give you a new gift?”
Jungsu nodded. “They said that they’re going to try and give me a second power.”
“Wow…you get to have two powers. That’s so cool.” Donghae whispered in awe. He then grinned brightly. “That’s it! Your new name! Leeteuk! Because you’re special!”
“Leeteuk? That’s stupid.” Heechul snorted, running a brush through his hair. The brush was replaced with Typhoon’s fingers as the other boy leaned against the table behind his chair, “Hey, if they can give Jungsu a new power than maybe they’ll find a way to control yours. Then maybe you’d be able to eat things without destroying them.”
They two exchanged glances, and for some reason, Jungsu thought they didn’t really care about Heechul being able to eat things so much as something else, something he didn’t understand.
He didn’t have time to wonder about these stolen glances-looks that had been there all along, he’d just never noticed them before-because the next morning, he began the procedure for his second gift.
And by three hours in, he wasn’t feeling “special” so much as he felt like dying. He didn’t think that would be a good nickname, though.
---
It hurt.
Jungsu wasn’t even sure what they’d done to him, since he’d been asleep for most of it. They’d stuck him in what looked like an MRI machine and told him to relax. He’d relaxed, and it was dark, so he’d fallen asleep an hour or so into the procedure.
He woke up screaming.
His entire body felt like it was on fire. He was choking, gasping for breath, but it felt like there was no oxygen left. He tried to move, but he was strapped down to the table. His back arched, and he opened his mouth to yell.
The sound echoed in the enclosed space, eaten up by the soft humming of the walls. He didn’t know what was going on, but it hurt. It hurt so badly. Tears were falling down his cheeks, and they burned. It felt like every cell in his body was being twisted into knots.
“P-please make it stop. Please…p-plea…” It was the only words he got out, because the pain was too unbearable to continue. He wanted to go back to sleep. Anything to make the pain stop.
A few minutes later he fell unconscious.
---
“…eteuk…yung…?”
Jungsu groaned, turning over onto his side. It hurt. He switched to his back. It still hurt. Moving hurt. Breathing hurt. His skin felt hypersensitive. The sheets were like sandpaper. He managed to pry his eyes open to find Donghae standing over him, the little boy’s face only a few centimeters away from his own.
“Hyung!” Donghae smiled worriedly, “Are you ok? You’ve been asleep for a few days.”
Jungsu nodded weakly, and his head began to throb. He gave another groan.
“You’ve been moved into our dorm for now.” Donghae continued rambling, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Since it’s only Heechul hyung and I, there were empty beds.”
Heechul? He’d be sharing a room with him? Ah, that didn’t matter. He was in too much pain to care. “…water…” He managed to get out.
Donghae blinked, “Oh! Ok! Sure! I’ll be right back!” He leapt off of the bead and Jungsu listened to his quickly fading footsteps. He closed his eyes, hoping to drift back into unconsciousness. Maybe the next time he woke up, he wouldn’t hurt so much.
“Does it hurt as bad as the first time?”
Jungsu jumped slightly. He’d just managed to get into a sitting position when he’d heard the voice and turned to see Heechul sitting at a table a few feet away, flipping casually through a book. The younger boy turned to him with a serious expression. “Well?”
“Hurt worse than the first time for what?” Jungsu shifted on the bed. The headache was slowly fading.
“When you contracted GAM the first time. The pain comes from the rearranging of your genes. I just wondered if it hurt the same.” Heechul answered softly, and looked away. He seemed slightly sheepish, maybe even worried, but Jungsu figured that it was his own pain that was making it seem that way.
“I don’t remember the first time. I was rushed to the training facility right after they found out I contracted the virus. I only remember waking up a few times, and I was never in much pain. I couldn’t really feel anything.” Jungsu winced, and let out a hiss as pain lanced up his stomach. He curled in on himself.
“You alright?” Heechul didn’t sound convincingly worried. In fact, the question sounded rather apathetic. Jungsu didn’t think that even if he were in pain that Heechul would do anything about it.
“I’m ok.” He managed from behind gritted teeth. “It’ll pass soon.” Which was true. The wave of pain subsided as quickly as it had come.
Heechul’s moment of seeming concern ended as quickly as that as he snapped his book shut and stood. “Since you’ll be living here for the next few weeks I need to explain the rules. Your stuff stays on your bed and in your dresser. Don’t touch my things. Don’t take showers in the bathroom, you’re lucky enough I’m letting you use it at all. When I go to bed, that means you do too or you leave. Got it?”
Jungsu was irritated enough that he had to live with the disrespectful younger boy, but he simply nodded. He was in too much pain to argue, even if he wanted to. Not that he did. There was no point in fighting with someone like Heechul.
Heechul had headed to the door and paused. “One last thing. When there’s a red string on the door, don’t come in. Or else.” He left abruptly without any further explanation, leaving Jungsu alone to brace himself for another wave of pain.
---
Jungsu was pretty much bedridden for the rest of the week as his body slowly adjusted to whatever change the scientists had put it through. During this time he’d learned a lot about the workings of Heechul and Donghae’s dorm that he hadn’t seen as a “visitor”. Being a resident made him privy to the knowledge that Kim Heechul did have feelings.
Those feelings centered around his extreme favoritism of Lee Donghae.
When Heechul had explained the rules to him earlier that week, he’d figured that Heechul’s “bed time” would be later in the evening. He discovered that Heechul ordered Donghae to bed like a mother hen and announced at that time that he was going to sleep too, which meant Jungsu had to follow suit.
Kim Heechul’s bedtime centered around Donghae’s. It was oddly cute to see the brash, stuck up man become a motherly figure. He supposed that he’d noticed the way Heechul gave Donghae his extra vegetables, and how he made him eat healthy at meals, but he hadn’t really thought about it till now.
There were times when Heechul would come back from a mission late at night and try and tiptoe into the room while the other two slept. Jungsu was a light sleeper, so the moment the doorknob turned he was awake. He could always smell the metallic tang of blood, and a smoky scent, like ash. Heechul would wash off in the shower, so it was always gone by morning, before Donghae awoke, but it made Jungsu wonder what exactly “missions” entailed.
Donghae didn’t know. To him missions meant saving the good people, defeating villains. To him Heechul was a super hero. When Jungsu asked Typhoon, the other man just smiled and deflected the question. Jungsu didn’t feel comfortable or close enough with anyone else to ask them. He certainly wasn’t going to ask Heechul.
The odd thing was that he was certain Heechul would answer truthfully. Perhaps that’s why he didn’t want to ask. Deep down he didn’t want to know.
By the end of the week Jungsu’s secondary power appeared. It was the oddest experience of his life, and one of the most terrifying. He’d been told what it was-the ability to phase through solid matter-but the scientists had warned that it would take time to develop, just as his first power had.
He was hungry. It was three in the morning and he was starving. He hadn’t eaten much for dinner because he’d felt nauseous-it was a normal occurrence ever since he’d gone through the treatment-but now he really wanted to eat something. Anything.
His stomach let out a soft growl that seemed to echo, and Jungsu winced. If his stomach woke up Heechul...that would not be good. Or, god forbid, he wake up Donghae. In a matter of a few seconds, his stomach became the least of his worries.
For a moment his body felt extremely light, transparent. Jungsu didn’t know how to describe the feeling of transparency, but it was the only way he could describe it. And then his body felt heavy. Terribly heavy, and he was falling. As he fell his skin seemed to become liquid. He could still feel the pressure of being pushed through something, but his body went through it effortlessly.
It was uncomfortable, and terrifying, because one moment he was lying in bed and suddenly he was falling from the ceiling onto the floor. He let out a scream that ended in a pained cry as his shoulder smacked into the tiled floor, solid once more.
He lay there, writhing on the ground in pain, whimpering as he pressed his lips against the cold tile. What had just happened? Adrenaline was coursing through his system and his heart was slamming against his chest. Oh god, oh god, he’d just gone through his bed and the ceiling. Oh god…
And then the door was opening, something was kneeling beside him. “Idiot, are you ok? Ya, Donghae, go get one of the medical staff!”
Heechul. It was Heechul. Jungsu heard Donghae run off to get help. Heechul began to stand and Jungsu grabbed out unconsciously, grasping at his sleeve. “…don’t…don’t leave.” He managed to gasp out. He felt Heechul pause, before settling back down beside him.
“Your damn stomach woke me up.” Heechul finally commented, as a way of explanation, and Jungsu shut his eyes as he tried not to think about how much his shoulder hurt.
---
It didn’t take long for Jungsu to learn how to activate his gift on his own. It still felt awkward moving through things he knew he shouldn’t have been able to move through. Solids were meant to stay solid.
His body always seemed to resist the action, but he was sure that was his subconscious. His brain was just trying to tell the rest of him that it wasn’t humanly possible to pass through solid objects.
With the acquisition of his new gift he was given permanent residence in Heechul and Donghae’s dorm. Donghae seemed overjoyed. Heechul hadn’t complained, and Jungsu took that as acceptance, even if the other man’s attitude hadn’t changed in any way toward him.
He also began formal training with his gift. The scientists seemed overjoyed with his progress, and soon Jungsu forgot the feeling of wrongness that came with this secondary gift.
He was in the swimming pool when it happened.
Donghae had dragged him there so he could practice shape-shifting and Jungsu enjoyed swimming so he hadn’t complained. He’d been halfway through his laps around the pool when he suddenly fell. He floundered for a moment, but he couldn’t feel the way and he realized that he was phasing.
Further, further, what if he went solid and there was water in his lungs? What was going on? He was too terrified to go solid and he didn’t know how to get out of the pool. And as soon as it began he was himself again, choking up a mouthful of water as he scrambled for the surface.
He coughed, throwing up a mouthful of water as he climbed out of the pool and collapsed onto the tiled floor, panting.
“Hyung? Leeteuk hyung, you ok?”
Jungsu swallowed back a “no” and nodded. “I’m ok…I’m going to go get something to drink…” He managed to get to his feet. In reality he planned to go sit somewhere to calm down. He made his way out of the pool room and toward the locker room.
He grabbed his duffel bag and stared in horror. His hand went through it. “Go solid!” He hissed at himself, more than a little afraid now. What was going on? He took a step back and tripped. He tried to brace himself on the lockers but found himself going through them, coming out on the other side of the wall into the busy hallway.
“Hey!” He bumped into someone and they shoved. He went through the next person and fell to the ground.
Oh god…what was going on?
What had just happened? Jungsu stumbled against the wall as he tripped over his own feet. He couldn’t hear over the ringing in his ears, and the fear of falling again, of going through the wall he was trying so desperately to hold onto, was suffocating.
He needed help. He needed to talk to someone.
Heechul would know what to do. Heechul would know. He always did. Even if Jungsu didn’t like him, Heechul would know what was wrong.
It seemed to take forever to get to their dorm. He passed by people, people he recognized and people he didn’t that all blurred together into unrecognizable masses. Some of them asked if he was alright. Why was he so pale? Did he need to go to the medical center? No. He just needed to find Heechul.
His fingers trembled on the door handle, and he didn’t even register the red string tied around it as he opened the door.
He stepped halfway through and stopped, frozen.
Bodies. Skin against skin. The room smelled like sweat and musk and something Jungsu couldn’t identify. Panting, whispered endearments and curses.
Heechul was pressed against the headboard, head thrown back, crimson hair splayed out on white shoulders like flames. Typhoon’s lips roved over any available patch of skin, lapping up sweat and leaving dark spots, claimed territory. His nails carved angry, possessive red tracks on pale flesh.
Jungsu let out a choked gasp, and his eyes widened as he realized he’d made a sound loud enough for them to hear. He slipped outside and slammed the door shut, but he knew he’d been caught. He didn’t try and run, as he stared down at his feet and wished, for the first time, that his power would activate and he’d fall through the floor to his death.
What had he just seen? What was going on? Why were Heechul and…and Typhoon doing that? He was a teenage boy. He knew about sex from movies and the internet and porn magazines. He knew that boys had sex with boys too. But that…it had seemed so adult and passionate and wild. God, Heechul was the same age as he and Typhoon was younger than they were!
He ran a hand through his hair, and the fear, that unbridled fear that had leapt into his throat when he’d gone through the pool, was pushed aside at the knowledge of what he’d just seen.
The door opened, and Typhoon stepped out. He sent Jungsu a veiled, dark gaze before brushing past him and walking down the hallway. The door was left open, and Jungsu knew what that meant. Heechul was waiting to talk to him inside.
He swallowed and slowly stepped in.
“Shut the door behind you.”
He winced at the cold tone and did as he was told. He looked up from the floor to see Heechul pulling a shirt over his head. His pants were still unbuckled, and from what Jungsu could see, he hadn’t put his boxers back on.
Jungsu tore his gaze away, forcing himself to look at Heechul’s face. He wished he hadn’t. The hatred there was evident, smoldering behind black depths and long lashes. “I told you to never open the door when there’s a red string on the handle, didn’t I?”
“I didn’t-”
“Don’t tell anyone.” Heechul hissed. “Don’t tell anyone or I’ll kill you.”
Jungsu believed he’d do it, too. He nodded stupidly, and he felt like crying. He didn’t know if it was because Heechul hated him again after they’d finally begun to get along or if it was because he was still terrified of his earlier accident.
“Get out.” Heechul’s voice shook.
“Heechul-”
“GET OUT!”
---
Donghae found out, or maybe he just knew because of the look on Jungsu’s face as he walked into the cafeteria. Donghae took one look at him and pulled him toward a far corner, far enough away that no one would hear what they were saying, but close enough not to attract attention.
“What happened?”
“I saw…I…I didn’t mean to…” Why was he rambling to a twelve-year-old? It didn’t make sense at all. Neither did the scene in the bedroom earlier, or his accident before that. Jungsu took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. “The red string was on the door and I opened it.”
Donghae stared at him from over his banana milk. “…you went in?” He whispered softly.
Jungsu nodded.
Donghae swallowed, before he glanced around worriedly, as if afraid someone had heard and would know what they were talking about. “You can’t tell anyone. You can’t ever tell anyone what you saw, ok?”
Jungsu wasn’t homophobic. He wasn’t gay, but what other people did wasn’t his business. He’d always stated he accepted and loved everyone. It was easier to maintain popularity that way. He knew that some people hated gays, but he figured that in a training facility full of boys it was bound to happen at some point, right? “I don’t understand why it’s that big of a deal.” He finally murmured.
Donghae shook his head, panic evident in his eyes. “They’ll get in trouble. Last time someone was caught they were sent away.”
Jungsu raised an eyebrow. “What happened to them?”
Donghae stared down at his milk carton. “They never came back.”
Jungsu found his gaze trained on his interlaced fingers and noticed they were trembling slightly. He suddenly realized what the emotion in Heechul’s voice had been.
Fear.
---
Heechul didn’t talk to him, not that Jungsu expected any different. In fact, he just seemed to pretend that Jungsu didn’t exist, which was fine with the older boy. He didn’t want Heechul remembering that Jungsu had seen him having sex with Typhoon and decide to kill him because of it.
Weeks passed, and Jungsu’s fears of Heechul’s wrath and his accident with his gift faded with time. He figured that he’d lost control of his power because of stress.
Typhoon always seemed to be watching him. As if waiting for an accusation. Jungsu refused to meet his eyes when they all ate together, and meals were always awkward. He was the first to leave the table, unless Heechul decided he didn’t feel like eating in his presence, which happened from time to time.
Jungsu grabbed his tray and headed toward the table with Donghae. The younger boy was chatting away animatedly about how he was going to move up in training. When Heechul looked up and spotted Jungsu he stood with his own tray. “Typhoon, let’s eat in my dorm.”
“You should stop acting so suspiciously. People are going to start suspecting things if you two keep it up.”
The entire table turned to Xmas. The other man simply eyed Heechul with barely veiled disgust. Heechul stared right back, “What are we doing that’s suspicious?”
“You’re always alone with each other. Just the two of you. There have been rumors going around about an investigation.”
“Xmas, shut up. What are you doing?” Attack hissed, reaching for the other man, but Heechul merely placed his tray back down with a smirk.
“What are you getting at, Jungmo?”
Xmas stood as well. “Don’t call me that name. I never gave you permission. We’re not close enough. Not close like you and hyung.”
People were beginning to stare. The cafeteria conversation had all but ceased. Jungsu looked around worriedly.
“If you don’t shut up, that hyung you care for so much will get in trouble too.” Heechul warned icily.
“…Heechul…” Typhoon placed an arm on his shoulder but Heechul shook it off.
Xmas clenched his fists. “Not if I told them that a redheaded slut decided to-” Heechul lunged by this point, slamming Xmas onto the table. Trays crashed to the ground, sending food everywhere.
“Heechul!”
“Jungmo!”
Heechul’s hands were around Xmas’s throat, but all Jungsu could see was blood dripping from them, dripping off of the ice tearing through the back of his hands.
Typhoon grabbed Heechul and pried him off, taking one look at Heechul’s hands before he turned to Xmas. “What did you do to him?”
“He tried to kill me!” Xmas shouted back, coughing.
“If I wanted to kill you I wouldn’t be wearing my gloves, you little bitch.” Heechul spat back, but his teeth were chattering. His lips were tinged blue.
“Donghae, take Heechul to the medical center.” Typhoon ordered, looking around at the crowd. “I’ll handle this.”
“I’m fine.” Heechul spat out, but he obviously wasn’t. His body began to shake with little tremors.
Jungsu reacted first, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the table. “Come on.”
“Idiot, don’t touch me!”
“They’re watching.” Don’t worry. I won’t tell. You won’t get in trouble. I won’t let it happen. It’s what he wanted to say, and perhaps Heechul saw it in his eyes, because confusion showed on his face, disbelief before he swallowed and gave a shallow nod.
“…alright…”
Jungsu didn’t know why he wanted to protect Heechul. Maybe it was because Heechul had always seemed so strong and sure of himself. There had never been a moment when Heechul doubted himself or looked afraid until now.
Heechul was afraid. Afraid for himself or for Typhoon, Jungsu didn’t know, but either way it made Heechul seem oddly pitiful.
Donghae had followed them, his small footsteps trailing behind them down the hallway. “Hyung?”
“Yeah?” Heechul managed.
“Xmas won’t say anything, will he? I don’t want you to go away.” Donghae began crying.
“I’m fine. He won’t say anything. Leeteuk and Typhoon are going to fix it so don’t worry.” Heechul soothed as they walked into the medical center.
It wasn’t until after Jungsu left the medical center that he realized Heechul had called him by his nickname.
---
Because of Xmas’s attack, Heechul not only had to get stitches in his hands, but he came down with hypothermia that developed into pneumonia.
Jungsu had seen Typhoon’s reaction, and he was terrified about what the younger man had said to Xmas afterwards back in their dormitory. Donghae spent most of his time in the medical center with Heechul, often sleeping on the bed with him as a kitten.
It was after that, that the investigation began. People came and talked to them, or at least to Jungsu. He figured that they talked to the others as well. They asked him invasive, personal questions. Did he know if there were any “unlawful relationships” going on? How close were Heechul and Typhoon? Did they spend lengthy amounts of time alone together?
Jungsu found himself replying. No. No they were only teammates. They didn’t spent too much time alone, because he and Donghae were usually always with them. Heechul couldn’t touch people without killing them, how would they be able to do anything else?
The last fact seemed to shut them up, and Jungsu was oddly proud of himself when they looked at each other, perplexed and stumped over this newfound revelation that had always been right under their noses.
The investigation stopped after that.
As the investigation stopped, Jungsu’s training with his secondary gift increased. It was fine at first. He’d forgotten about the earlier incidents. But only a few days after he began training in earnest, problems began to develop.
He’d be holding a tray and it would fall through his fingers. He’d sit down in a chair and fall through it. He’d wake up under his bed instead of on it. Little things, but they terrified him. He began to have nightmares, and then he’d wake up, staring up at the wooden frame and mattress of his bed and realize that both Heechul and Donghae weren’t there. He was alone.
The scientists began to notice. He was losing sleep and he was terrified to use his gift. It always got worse after he used his gift. He didn’t feel like he could control it anymore. He didn’t feel like his body was his. He touched things and then he was no longer touching them he was going through them and that terrified him.
What if one day he couldn’t go solid again?
“Park Jungsu?”
Jungsu looked up from the book he’d been reading. Donghae leaned forward to see who was at the door and eyed the scientists with curiosity. “Yes?”
“Could you come with me? We’re going to run a few tests.”
“Um. Alright.”
“Come back soon, Teukie hyung. Heechul hyung gets discharged today!” Donghae called after him.
Jungsu nodded absently, following behind the scientists obediently. He led him down a hallway that Jungsu didn’t remember. The layout became unfamiliar, as the scientists finally stopped in front of a door with a keypad and punched in a lock code before walking through and holding it open for Jungsu.
He entered, and blinked.
It was a large room, like a warehouse. The walls were concrete and there were large, industrial fans whirring overhead. The room was full of people: adults, children, male, female. Jungsu looked back at the scientists.
“Please remain here for now.” The scientist smiled before heading back the way he had come.
Jungsu glanced around the room again as he made his way through the crowd, trying to find a less populated corner. Everyone was talking loudly, worriedly.
“What happened? Do you know why we’re here?”
“I shouldn’t be here. I had GAM. I was lying in bed and I woke up and now I’m here.”
“What’s going on? Why won’t they tell us anything?”
As he looked around he briefly recognized his old roommate, the middle-aged man whose name he’d never remembered.
“Um…hello?”
Jungsu turned to his right. The boy was chubby, short, and looked to be a few years younger than he was. He also looked confused and embarrassed. Jungsu tried to smile reassuringly at him. It seemed like most of these people had only just woken up after surviving GAM. They didn’t know what was going on. Perhaps Jungsu had been sent here because he’d help with the explanation when the scientists came back?
“Hi. I’m Jungsu. You can call me Leeteuk.”
“I’m Shin Donghee.” The boy replied. “Um…Leeteuk hyung…do you know where the bathroom is?”
Leeteuk frowned. “I don’t know if there’s a bathroom in here. This is the first time that I’ve been in this room, but I live here at this facility. Don’t worry. Everything is going to be ok. Do you remember what happened before you came here?”
“I was at home. Eating dinner with mom and dad.” The boy shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t feel good. I got sick. I don’t remember much after that. Then I woke up in a room and was brought here.”
Jungsu nodded. “I see. Well, I think that someone is going to come in soon and explain everything, so don’t worry, alright? When they do, we’ll ask about the bathroom.”
Donghee smiled shyly. “…thanks.”
“Hyung…hyung!” Heechul pushed through the crowd of people. “Hyung!”
Jungsu blinked in confusion. What was Heechul doing here? Hadn’t he just been discharged from the medical center? He still looked pale, and there was something off about him. Like he was worried about something. The look didn’t fit his face. “What is it?”
“We have to go.” Heechul replied, looking around the room in what could only be described as panic.
“They told us to wait here.” Jungsu motioned around the room. “I think they’re going to give some kind of explanation because so many people contracted GAM in such a short amount of time-hey! What are you doing?”
Heechul grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the door. “We have to go now.”
Leeteuk looked over at Donghee and grabbed the chubby boy’s hand. “Come on, you can come with us. We’ll find the bathroom.”
The boy nodded.
Heechul rolled his eyes but didn’t protest. “Whatever. Come on!” Heechul headed toward the door and grabbed the handle. A pause. He tried again, a little more frantically this time. “It’s locked.”
“Well they said they’d be back soon.” Jungsu shrugged.
“No one is coming, hyung.” Heechul snapped. “They aren’t coming to explain anything.” He froze, and looked up at the ceiling. “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“That hissing sound…” Heechul’s eyes widened. “Shit.”
“What hissing-” Jungsu stopped, because the hissing was louder now. He could definitely hear it. He looked around at the ceiling. The fans had stopped. The room was beginning to smell funny. “…Heechul…?”
“We have to get out! Fuck!” Heechul tried the door again. People were beginning to panic. Leeteuk could hear screams, shouting.
“I’m going to have to take out the door-” Heechul had begun to pull his glove off when they were getting shoved against the door as people tried to get past them to escape.
“Heechul!” Jungsu was certain they were going to get trampled. Donghee was holding onto his hand tightly, plump little fingers grasping in fear. “What’s going on?”
Jungsu swallowed, grabbing for Heechul. He finally caught his arm. “Come on!” And then he phased, taking Heechul and Donghee with him through the door. The three collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. The air felt so much different here.
Heechul was already getting to his feet. “We have to hurry.” He gasped out.
Jungsu looked back at the door. “We can’t just leave everyone else there. We have to go back and save them!”
Heechul shook his head. “No time.”
“I’m not going to stand here and do nothing when I know I can help them!” Jungsu stepped toward the door, but was stopped as Heechul grabbed his arm and threw him up against the wall.
Heechul glared, looking angry and panicked and relieved at the same time. “Don’t you understand? They’re trying to kill you. If you go back now, you’ll die too! Do you have any sense of self preservation!?”
“But those people…”
“Are dead. You can’t help them.” Heechul replied stiffly. “Now let’s go.”
Jungsu allowed himself to be led down the hallway. It was empty. No one had expected anyone to escape. Heechul kept glancing around though, as if trying to find security cameras that probably weren’t there.
They made it out of the unknown area and up a flight of stairs. They were suddenly back in known territory. Jungsu knew these halls.
“Pretend like nothing is wrong.” Heechul whispered softly as they walked past a group of trainees. Jungsu nodded, and smiled reassuringly at Donghee. The boy looked like he was going to cry. Only shock seemed to have kept him quiet so far.
“There’s a blind spot in the security not too far from here.” Heechul explained, turning another corner. “Once we get there…” He trailed off, and Jungsu looked past him to see Typhoon.
Heechul swallowed, before whispering, “I was with you the entire time. You didn’t see these two.”
Typhoon eyed Jungsu and Donghee both, and for a moment, Jungsu was worried that he was going to tell on them. There was something off about him. Jungsu had always felt that his intentions were good up to this point, but now he began to wonder. But Typhoon gave a small laugh before walking past. “Whatever, princess. Don’t go showing everyone our secret makeout spots.”
Heechul pulled Jungsu toward a small alcove, Donghee stumbling behind. He pulled something out of his pocket and shoved it into Jungsu’s hands. Jungsu looked down. It was a wallet stuffed full of bills. “…Heechul…?”
Heechul wasn’t looking at him. He was staring out at the hallway, as if waiting for someone to walk past. “Go, find someplace to live. Get out of here.”
“But you…”
“Idiot, just go.”
Jungsu shook his head. “What about the others?”
“I can’t save everyone.” Heechul answered back stiffly. “I’m not god. I don’t even know why I saved you.” He knew why. He had heard Leeteuk’s god-awful laughter when passing down the halls of the Training Center one day and he couldn’t get the sound out of his head. Happy and obnoxious and addictive. And because Jungsu had helped him, had kept his secret.
And because the training center had lied to him.
“Why?”
Heechul let out a frustrated growl. “Because they’ll kill you if you stay, idiot. Have you been listening to anything I’ve told you?”
“No. Why did you save me?”
Heechul rolled his eyes. “You’re my hyung, aren’t you?”
It was only then that Leeteuk realized that Heechul had been calling him hyung since he’d gotten them out of the gas chamber. Heechul never called anyone hyung. That was all the answer he got and all that he needed. Leeteuk felt acknowledged for the first time in his life. “Come on Donghee. Let’s go.”
Genre: Superhero AU, action
Rating: PG-13
Chapter 12 < ----- > Chapter 13
---
His name was Park Jungsu. He had craters for dimples and an infectious laugh that bordered on maniacal. He was a highschooler that cared more about confessing to the girl in Class 3-B than grades or his future. Park Jungsu was everyone’s friend. Popular, always smiling, a natural born leader, funny…
He couldn’t say that his highschool years were enjoyable. He spent it worrying about his appearance, worrying about his popularity. He needed everyone to like him.
Popularity was everything. Being liked and loved and looked for. That was what Jungsu lived for. If it meant acting like the class clown it didn’t matter. All eyes were on Park Jungsu. Being the center of attention was both gratifying and terrifying. One wrong move and he’d be disliked, ignored from that point onward. He had to choose his words carefully, but make it seem like it was coming naturally. It couldn’t seem staged.
He was seventeen, popular, and lonely.
In a world where he was surrounded by people who knew his name, he’d never felt so alone.
“Park Jungsu!”
He blinked, looked up from his notebook, and winced. Teacher Kim glared down at him from over her broad-rimmed glasses, piece of chalk held tightly between her fingers. He was certain the stick was going to snap. He gave a slow smile, “…yes?”
“I asked if you would be so kind as to take these papers to the main office.” She pointed at the papers she’d placed on his desk. “Or are you too busy doodling boobs on your notebook to do this simple task?”
Jungsu choked back a partial scream, partial laugh as everyone turned to look at him. He gave another smile, this one morphing into a mischievous grin. “Sorry teacher. It’s just, I have an anatomy test in my next period, so I was getting some extra studying in, I’ll do it right away, don’t hit me!” He scrambled out of his chair as she raised the hand with the chalk and hurried down the hallway with the papers held tightly to his chest.
“God…that woman is a harpy…”
The door behind him opened and a chalkboard eraser smacked into the back of his head.
He gave a long suffering sigh. Really, trying to bring smiles to everyone’s faces was never appreciated. His wit was going to waste away here. He headed down the hallway and blinked away a wave of dizziness. He had been feeling a little under the weather all morning, but he figured it was because he’d been up late the night before and he hadn’t eaten breakfast. Maybe he’d grab something from the vending machine on his way back…
“Oh, Park Jungsu! On errands again?”
“Ah, yeah vice-principal…” Jungsu nodded as the man greeted him. The main office was bustling with activity. The school secretary looked up at him briefly before going back to scribbling notes.
“These are from Teacher Kim…” Jungsu held out the papers and his arms felt weak. He couldn’t hold them up for long and found himself placing them on the edge of the desk so he didn’t drop them. The secretary sent him another look before going back to her work.
“You look a little pale, Jungsu. And you’re sweating. Perhaps you should go to the nurse’s office?” The vice-principal watched him worriedly.
Jungsu laughed. “I’m fine. Teacher Kim is waiting for me. I’ll be leaving then.” He bowed his head and turned to leave and had to grab onto the door handle to keep himself from falling.
“I really think you should go to the nurse’s office…” Vice Principal Lee continued, but Jungsu didn’t hear him. His eyes rolled back in his head and he pitched to the side.
---
He was awake, but his head throbbed and he didn’t have the energy to open his eyes. He could hear shuffling, a door opening and closing. A chair being dragged across a room. The screeching made him wince and it paused, as if the person had seen the action.
“Ya, pick up the chair, idiot.”
Jungsu finally managed to pry his eyes open. He blinked wearily up at a bright light before he turned his head away and toward the voices.
“I told you that you’d wake him up.”
“No you didn’t. All you did was hit me and order me to get you a chair.”
“He’s right hyung, you didn’t tell him.”
“You’re supposed to be on my side, you little idiot.”
Jungsu blinked again. The corners of his eyes stung, and every time he blinked his eyelids seemed to stick, as if he’d fallen asleep with contacts in. His head still throbbed, and every small movement seemed to make the pain grow.
A hand waved in front of his face. A flashing of light and then shadow. The movement made him nauseous. He gave a small groan.
“Hey, hey, wake up.”
He forced himself to sit, and regretted the action immediately. His vision blacked out as his head swam and he pitched forward, vomiting onto his lap. He stared down at the puddle of bile in his lap and swallowed. His mouth tasted sour.
“That was disgusting.”
He turned tiredly toward the person who had spoken and found himself staring.
The boy looked to be around the same age as he was, but Jungsu wondered if he really was a boy at all. He dressed like one, but his face was terribly feminine: full lips and large eyes and high cheekbones. His hair was a fluorescent red and pulled back in a short ponytail. He eyed Jungsu with amusement tinged with derision.
There were two others, who stood behind the chair the redhead sat in. One was around their age, his expression calm. Pleasant. The third was a young boy, probably twelve, with wild, unkept hair and a bright infectious smile. He waved shyly from behind the chair.
Where was he? Jungsu was more than a little confused. He’d been lying down in the nurse’s office and had fallen asleep. He vaguely remembered waking up in his house, staring up at his ceiling. He’d been in pain. His entire body had felt like it was on fire. But why was he here, in this whitewashed medical room?
“Are you going to stare at your own vomit all day or are you going to answer my question?”
Jungsu blinked. He hadn’t even realized he’d gone back to looking down at his lap until the feminine boy had spoken and he’d had to turn to look at him. He swallowed before opening his mouth to reply, “I…” He coughed, and swallowed a few more times to wet his throat. He could still taste the bile. “What did you ask me?”
The redhead rolled his eyes and gave a dramatic sigh. “What’s your name?”
His name. That was easy enough. “Jungsu.” He answered. “My name is Park Jungsu.”
“Your nose is huge.” The feminine teen leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Your dimples too.”
“Can I touch them?” The younger boy asked curiously.
“Of course not. You might catch his big nose genes.”
“I don’t think it works that way.” The other one replied. “Genetics aren’t contagious. How did you pass highschool biology?”
“I didn’t go to highschool, remember?” The pretty teen snapped, annoyed. “And it could be his gift, you know.”
“A big nose?”
“Contagious genes?”
“Um…” Jungsu swallowed. The three turned to him, as if only then remembering that he was there at all. “Who are all of you?”
The twelve-year-old leapt at the chance-quite literally. He landed on the edge of the bed. “I’m Donghae! I can turn into a spider monkey, wanna see?”
Jungsu was sure he hadn’t heard that correctly. “What?”
The redhead eyed him warily. “They haven’t explained anything to you yet, have they?”
“Explained what?” Jungsu was more than a little frustrated-and nauseous-at this point. Also, the bile was soaking through the thin white blanket and getting on his pants. Wait…he wasn’t wearing any pants, only a hospital gown. “What happened to me? Why am I at a hospital?”
“This isn’t a hospital.” The redhead answered casually. “This is The GAM Project’s Training Facility #3. Congratulations, you survived.”
---
It took three or so weeks for Jungsu to fully accept that he was no longer “normal” and that he would be living at the training facility for the rest of his life. The first few days had been filled with yelling, disbelief, restraints, panic. He wanted to see his family. He wanted to go back to living a normal life. The last thing he needed was to be a freak. Who would like someone like that?
Freaks were never popular.
The only redeeming feature of the whole thing was that here, being a freak was normal. Everyone had some kind of “gift” as they called it. His hadn’t appeared, and being in that liminal stage meant he was an outcast: weird and awkward and everything he’d always tried not to be. It was frustrating and terrifying.
It didn’t help that he had been put in a special dorm away from everyone else. His only roommate was an older man-in this thirties-whom he’d been introduced to but had forgotten the name of. The two of them had woken up around same time and had been sent here together. The other man’s power hadn’t appeared yet either.
Donghae visited a lot, and often dragged Jungsu out of his dorm room to eat with him and the others in the cafeteria. Donghae was difficult to resist, so it didn’t take much convincing to get him to come along. It was here that he learned who the feminine redhead was.
Kim Heechul, a seventeen-year-old pretty boy with the mind of a militant dictator, the temperament of a woman during menopause, and the ability to disintegrate anything he touched with his bare hands. Not surprisingly, the two of them didn’t get along in the beginning. At all.
Then there was Jay, whose nickname Typhoon was used in place of his real name by most everyone. Even Heechul seemed to call him Typhoon more than his given name, and that was saying something. After all, the two of them were inseparable. Donghae had said the two came to the facility together, part of the first group here.
Typhoon was…different. He was quiet and easygoing most of the time, but enjoyed teasing Heechul. And Heechul let him without any consequences whatsoever. The only two people that Heechul seemed to like were Donghae and Typhoon. He held a general apathy for the rest of the world and a special derision for those that got in his way.
He didn’t seem to handle authority well, and often snapped at the scientists. Jungsu found it rude, but he never said anything for the same reason that the scientists never said anything-though they would always scribble furiously in their notebooks when it happened. They were all afraid of Heechul’s power.
Heechul didn’t seem to like Jungsu, although he didn’t seem to hate him either. He liked to make fun of him, though, and Jungsu was always unable to snap back. When he’d asked once if they were kind of like super heros, Heechul had thrown his head back and cackled.
“What? Are you some kind of idiot? Super heroes don’t exist. This isn’t a manwha or a children’s cartoon. It’s human greed at its finest.”
Jungsu hadn’t understood what Heechul was getting at. The other boy was always so cynical. He talked down to everyone and disregarded them all. As if they were all below him. Any time anyone brought up how they were “helping the government” or that they had special gifts to help better the world he would snap at them and smile that snide smile of his.
Jungsu didn’t understand why Typhoon or Donghae liked him. Kim Heechul was obviously one of those bad apples that had been born bad and would stay bad. He didn’t even call Jungsu hyung despite how he always went on about “respecting your elders”.
Kim Heechul was someone he just couldn’t understand and whom he didn’t have the desire or patience to try to.
---
Halfway through week four, his power appeared. It was difficult for him to describe how he knew it had happened in the first place. It wasn’t something flashy, it wasn’t even something physical. No one else could see it, so it was impossible to prove that it had even happened at all.
It was poker night.
Somehow Donghae had dragged Jungsu to Heechul and his dorm and he found himself sitting on the edge of Donghae’s bed with the younger boy as they watched. Typhoon was there with the rest of his squad-none of them seemed fond of Heechul either, but only Xmas seemed to actually dislike him-and some other people that Heechul had deemed worthy enough to gamble with him.
Jungsu had gotten bored rather quickly. He didn’t really understand the rules of the game, so since it didn’t make sense to him, he wasn’t interested. Donghae had occupied himself with a video game and Jungsu wondered why he’d even invited Jungsu in the first place if he was going to ignore him and just play Donkey Kong.
He didn’t know how to describe it, but suddenly the air in the room seemed to have shifted. He felt lightheaded, blinking as he tried to brush off the feeling. He found himself centered on Xmas. The other man was looking at Heechul over the edge of his cards-at where Heechul was pushing Typhoon away as the other man tried to get a peek at his hand-and the air felt murderous.
He knew without a doubt that Xmas wanted to kill Heechul. He didn’t know why or how he knew. It was just a feeling that Xmas wasn’t a good person. Xmas had glanced over at Leeteuk, as if he’d known what he was thinking, and Jungsu had to excuse himself for the rest of the night.
---
He didn’t realize that his power was the ability to see and judge a person’s true intentions until a few days later. He seemed able to look at someone had decide immediately whether or not he could trust them.
No one’s “aura” as he’d deemed it had been quite as bad as Xmas’.
When he’d explained everything to the scientists they’d seemed surprised, or rather…disappointed in the fact that it was-
“Kind of useless, don’t you think?” Heechul supplied, not looking up from his magazine. “How is that going to help anyone?”
“It’s cool!” Donghae defended, eyes sparkling. “So you can tell when people are lying?”
“Er…no.” Jungsu shook his head. “It isn’t as simple as that. I can just tell if someone is…well, a bad person?”
“So you have like…super justice senses!” Donghae shouted, “Like a real super hero!”
Heechul snorted, turning a page of his magazine. It ripped with the force and he paused, before closing it completely and turning to Jungsu. “I don’t understand how you can be useful to anyone, but I guess someone has to have a shit power, right? It isn’t like everyone can have something good.”
Jungsu bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something he’d regret. There were lots of things he wanted to say to Kim Heechul, but he kept them to himself partially out of self preservation, and also because for some reason, he felt that he could trust him.
And that just didn’t make sense.
Also, the scientists at the facility seemed to agree with Heechul’s sentiment about Jungsu’s uselessness. Halfway through week seven he was taken to speak with the director and told about a project they wanted him to be a part of.
The chance to gain a power engineered just for himself. A useful power that would make him able to train and go on missions with the others.
You’ll be like everyone else. You’ll be able to fit in again.
His roommate-he still didn’t remember his name-was being given the same chance. The chance to get a new power. Jungsu didn’t even remember what his power was, although that wasn’t surprising, he didn’t even remember his name after all.
Jungsu took the offer.
He’d gotten an interesting mix of reactions from the others when he’d told them.
Heechul stared at him blankly, but there was something suspicious in his gaze, doubtful. “They’re going to give you a new gift?”
Jungsu nodded. “They said that they’re going to try and give me a second power.”
“Wow…you get to have two powers. That’s so cool.” Donghae whispered in awe. He then grinned brightly. “That’s it! Your new name! Leeteuk! Because you’re special!”
“Leeteuk? That’s stupid.” Heechul snorted, running a brush through his hair. The brush was replaced with Typhoon’s fingers as the other boy leaned against the table behind his chair, “Hey, if they can give Jungsu a new power than maybe they’ll find a way to control yours. Then maybe you’d be able to eat things without destroying them.”
They two exchanged glances, and for some reason, Jungsu thought they didn’t really care about Heechul being able to eat things so much as something else, something he didn’t understand.
He didn’t have time to wonder about these stolen glances-looks that had been there all along, he’d just never noticed them before-because the next morning, he began the procedure for his second gift.
And by three hours in, he wasn’t feeling “special” so much as he felt like dying. He didn’t think that would be a good nickname, though.
---
It hurt.
Jungsu wasn’t even sure what they’d done to him, since he’d been asleep for most of it. They’d stuck him in what looked like an MRI machine and told him to relax. He’d relaxed, and it was dark, so he’d fallen asleep an hour or so into the procedure.
He woke up screaming.
His entire body felt like it was on fire. He was choking, gasping for breath, but it felt like there was no oxygen left. He tried to move, but he was strapped down to the table. His back arched, and he opened his mouth to yell.
The sound echoed in the enclosed space, eaten up by the soft humming of the walls. He didn’t know what was going on, but it hurt. It hurt so badly. Tears were falling down his cheeks, and they burned. It felt like every cell in his body was being twisted into knots.
“P-please make it stop. Please…p-plea…” It was the only words he got out, because the pain was too unbearable to continue. He wanted to go back to sleep. Anything to make the pain stop.
A few minutes later he fell unconscious.
---
“…eteuk…yung…?”
Jungsu groaned, turning over onto his side. It hurt. He switched to his back. It still hurt. Moving hurt. Breathing hurt. His skin felt hypersensitive. The sheets were like sandpaper. He managed to pry his eyes open to find Donghae standing over him, the little boy’s face only a few centimeters away from his own.
“Hyung!” Donghae smiled worriedly, “Are you ok? You’ve been asleep for a few days.”
Jungsu nodded weakly, and his head began to throb. He gave another groan.
“You’ve been moved into our dorm for now.” Donghae continued rambling, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Since it’s only Heechul hyung and I, there were empty beds.”
Heechul? He’d be sharing a room with him? Ah, that didn’t matter. He was in too much pain to care. “…water…” He managed to get out.
Donghae blinked, “Oh! Ok! Sure! I’ll be right back!” He leapt off of the bead and Jungsu listened to his quickly fading footsteps. He closed his eyes, hoping to drift back into unconsciousness. Maybe the next time he woke up, he wouldn’t hurt so much.
“Does it hurt as bad as the first time?”
Jungsu jumped slightly. He’d just managed to get into a sitting position when he’d heard the voice and turned to see Heechul sitting at a table a few feet away, flipping casually through a book. The younger boy turned to him with a serious expression. “Well?”
“Hurt worse than the first time for what?” Jungsu shifted on the bed. The headache was slowly fading.
“When you contracted GAM the first time. The pain comes from the rearranging of your genes. I just wondered if it hurt the same.” Heechul answered softly, and looked away. He seemed slightly sheepish, maybe even worried, but Jungsu figured that it was his own pain that was making it seem that way.
“I don’t remember the first time. I was rushed to the training facility right after they found out I contracted the virus. I only remember waking up a few times, and I was never in much pain. I couldn’t really feel anything.” Jungsu winced, and let out a hiss as pain lanced up his stomach. He curled in on himself.
“You alright?” Heechul didn’t sound convincingly worried. In fact, the question sounded rather apathetic. Jungsu didn’t think that even if he were in pain that Heechul would do anything about it.
“I’m ok.” He managed from behind gritted teeth. “It’ll pass soon.” Which was true. The wave of pain subsided as quickly as it had come.
Heechul’s moment of seeming concern ended as quickly as that as he snapped his book shut and stood. “Since you’ll be living here for the next few weeks I need to explain the rules. Your stuff stays on your bed and in your dresser. Don’t touch my things. Don’t take showers in the bathroom, you’re lucky enough I’m letting you use it at all. When I go to bed, that means you do too or you leave. Got it?”
Jungsu was irritated enough that he had to live with the disrespectful younger boy, but he simply nodded. He was in too much pain to argue, even if he wanted to. Not that he did. There was no point in fighting with someone like Heechul.
Heechul had headed to the door and paused. “One last thing. When there’s a red string on the door, don’t come in. Or else.” He left abruptly without any further explanation, leaving Jungsu alone to brace himself for another wave of pain.
---
Jungsu was pretty much bedridden for the rest of the week as his body slowly adjusted to whatever change the scientists had put it through. During this time he’d learned a lot about the workings of Heechul and Donghae’s dorm that he hadn’t seen as a “visitor”. Being a resident made him privy to the knowledge that Kim Heechul did have feelings.
Those feelings centered around his extreme favoritism of Lee Donghae.
When Heechul had explained the rules to him earlier that week, he’d figured that Heechul’s “bed time” would be later in the evening. He discovered that Heechul ordered Donghae to bed like a mother hen and announced at that time that he was going to sleep too, which meant Jungsu had to follow suit.
Kim Heechul’s bedtime centered around Donghae’s. It was oddly cute to see the brash, stuck up man become a motherly figure. He supposed that he’d noticed the way Heechul gave Donghae his extra vegetables, and how he made him eat healthy at meals, but he hadn’t really thought about it till now.
There were times when Heechul would come back from a mission late at night and try and tiptoe into the room while the other two slept. Jungsu was a light sleeper, so the moment the doorknob turned he was awake. He could always smell the metallic tang of blood, and a smoky scent, like ash. Heechul would wash off in the shower, so it was always gone by morning, before Donghae awoke, but it made Jungsu wonder what exactly “missions” entailed.
Donghae didn’t know. To him missions meant saving the good people, defeating villains. To him Heechul was a super hero. When Jungsu asked Typhoon, the other man just smiled and deflected the question. Jungsu didn’t feel comfortable or close enough with anyone else to ask them. He certainly wasn’t going to ask Heechul.
The odd thing was that he was certain Heechul would answer truthfully. Perhaps that’s why he didn’t want to ask. Deep down he didn’t want to know.
By the end of the week Jungsu’s secondary power appeared. It was the oddest experience of his life, and one of the most terrifying. He’d been told what it was-the ability to phase through solid matter-but the scientists had warned that it would take time to develop, just as his first power had.
He was hungry. It was three in the morning and he was starving. He hadn’t eaten much for dinner because he’d felt nauseous-it was a normal occurrence ever since he’d gone through the treatment-but now he really wanted to eat something. Anything.
His stomach let out a soft growl that seemed to echo, and Jungsu winced. If his stomach woke up Heechul...that would not be good. Or, god forbid, he wake up Donghae. In a matter of a few seconds, his stomach became the least of his worries.
For a moment his body felt extremely light, transparent. Jungsu didn’t know how to describe the feeling of transparency, but it was the only way he could describe it. And then his body felt heavy. Terribly heavy, and he was falling. As he fell his skin seemed to become liquid. He could still feel the pressure of being pushed through something, but his body went through it effortlessly.
It was uncomfortable, and terrifying, because one moment he was lying in bed and suddenly he was falling from the ceiling onto the floor. He let out a scream that ended in a pained cry as his shoulder smacked into the tiled floor, solid once more.
He lay there, writhing on the ground in pain, whimpering as he pressed his lips against the cold tile. What had just happened? Adrenaline was coursing through his system and his heart was slamming against his chest. Oh god, oh god, he’d just gone through his bed and the ceiling. Oh god…
And then the door was opening, something was kneeling beside him. “Idiot, are you ok? Ya, Donghae, go get one of the medical staff!”
Heechul. It was Heechul. Jungsu heard Donghae run off to get help. Heechul began to stand and Jungsu grabbed out unconsciously, grasping at his sleeve. “…don’t…don’t leave.” He managed to gasp out. He felt Heechul pause, before settling back down beside him.
“Your damn stomach woke me up.” Heechul finally commented, as a way of explanation, and Jungsu shut his eyes as he tried not to think about how much his shoulder hurt.
---
It didn’t take long for Jungsu to learn how to activate his gift on his own. It still felt awkward moving through things he knew he shouldn’t have been able to move through. Solids were meant to stay solid.
His body always seemed to resist the action, but he was sure that was his subconscious. His brain was just trying to tell the rest of him that it wasn’t humanly possible to pass through solid objects.
With the acquisition of his new gift he was given permanent residence in Heechul and Donghae’s dorm. Donghae seemed overjoyed. Heechul hadn’t complained, and Jungsu took that as acceptance, even if the other man’s attitude hadn’t changed in any way toward him.
He also began formal training with his gift. The scientists seemed overjoyed with his progress, and soon Jungsu forgot the feeling of wrongness that came with this secondary gift.
He was in the swimming pool when it happened.
Donghae had dragged him there so he could practice shape-shifting and Jungsu enjoyed swimming so he hadn’t complained. He’d been halfway through his laps around the pool when he suddenly fell. He floundered for a moment, but he couldn’t feel the way and he realized that he was phasing.
Further, further, what if he went solid and there was water in his lungs? What was going on? He was too terrified to go solid and he didn’t know how to get out of the pool. And as soon as it began he was himself again, choking up a mouthful of water as he scrambled for the surface.
He coughed, throwing up a mouthful of water as he climbed out of the pool and collapsed onto the tiled floor, panting.
“Hyung? Leeteuk hyung, you ok?”
Jungsu swallowed back a “no” and nodded. “I’m ok…I’m going to go get something to drink…” He managed to get to his feet. In reality he planned to go sit somewhere to calm down. He made his way out of the pool room and toward the locker room.
He grabbed his duffel bag and stared in horror. His hand went through it. “Go solid!” He hissed at himself, more than a little afraid now. What was going on? He took a step back and tripped. He tried to brace himself on the lockers but found himself going through them, coming out on the other side of the wall into the busy hallway.
“Hey!” He bumped into someone and they shoved. He went through the next person and fell to the ground.
Oh god…what was going on?
What had just happened? Jungsu stumbled against the wall as he tripped over his own feet. He couldn’t hear over the ringing in his ears, and the fear of falling again, of going through the wall he was trying so desperately to hold onto, was suffocating.
He needed help. He needed to talk to someone.
Heechul would know what to do. Heechul would know. He always did. Even if Jungsu didn’t like him, Heechul would know what was wrong.
It seemed to take forever to get to their dorm. He passed by people, people he recognized and people he didn’t that all blurred together into unrecognizable masses. Some of them asked if he was alright. Why was he so pale? Did he need to go to the medical center? No. He just needed to find Heechul.
His fingers trembled on the door handle, and he didn’t even register the red string tied around it as he opened the door.
He stepped halfway through and stopped, frozen.
Bodies. Skin against skin. The room smelled like sweat and musk and something Jungsu couldn’t identify. Panting, whispered endearments and curses.
Heechul was pressed against the headboard, head thrown back, crimson hair splayed out on white shoulders like flames. Typhoon’s lips roved over any available patch of skin, lapping up sweat and leaving dark spots, claimed territory. His nails carved angry, possessive red tracks on pale flesh.
Jungsu let out a choked gasp, and his eyes widened as he realized he’d made a sound loud enough for them to hear. He slipped outside and slammed the door shut, but he knew he’d been caught. He didn’t try and run, as he stared down at his feet and wished, for the first time, that his power would activate and he’d fall through the floor to his death.
What had he just seen? What was going on? Why were Heechul and…and Typhoon doing that? He was a teenage boy. He knew about sex from movies and the internet and porn magazines. He knew that boys had sex with boys too. But that…it had seemed so adult and passionate and wild. God, Heechul was the same age as he and Typhoon was younger than they were!
He ran a hand through his hair, and the fear, that unbridled fear that had leapt into his throat when he’d gone through the pool, was pushed aside at the knowledge of what he’d just seen.
The door opened, and Typhoon stepped out. He sent Jungsu a veiled, dark gaze before brushing past him and walking down the hallway. The door was left open, and Jungsu knew what that meant. Heechul was waiting to talk to him inside.
He swallowed and slowly stepped in.
“Shut the door behind you.”
He winced at the cold tone and did as he was told. He looked up from the floor to see Heechul pulling a shirt over his head. His pants were still unbuckled, and from what Jungsu could see, he hadn’t put his boxers back on.
Jungsu tore his gaze away, forcing himself to look at Heechul’s face. He wished he hadn’t. The hatred there was evident, smoldering behind black depths and long lashes. “I told you to never open the door when there’s a red string on the handle, didn’t I?”
“I didn’t-”
“Don’t tell anyone.” Heechul hissed. “Don’t tell anyone or I’ll kill you.”
Jungsu believed he’d do it, too. He nodded stupidly, and he felt like crying. He didn’t know if it was because Heechul hated him again after they’d finally begun to get along or if it was because he was still terrified of his earlier accident.
“Get out.” Heechul’s voice shook.
“Heechul-”
“GET OUT!”
---
Donghae found out, or maybe he just knew because of the look on Jungsu’s face as he walked into the cafeteria. Donghae took one look at him and pulled him toward a far corner, far enough away that no one would hear what they were saying, but close enough not to attract attention.
“What happened?”
“I saw…I…I didn’t mean to…” Why was he rambling to a twelve-year-old? It didn’t make sense at all. Neither did the scene in the bedroom earlier, or his accident before that. Jungsu took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. “The red string was on the door and I opened it.”
Donghae stared at him from over his banana milk. “…you went in?” He whispered softly.
Jungsu nodded.
Donghae swallowed, before he glanced around worriedly, as if afraid someone had heard and would know what they were talking about. “You can’t tell anyone. You can’t ever tell anyone what you saw, ok?”
Jungsu wasn’t homophobic. He wasn’t gay, but what other people did wasn’t his business. He’d always stated he accepted and loved everyone. It was easier to maintain popularity that way. He knew that some people hated gays, but he figured that in a training facility full of boys it was bound to happen at some point, right? “I don’t understand why it’s that big of a deal.” He finally murmured.
Donghae shook his head, panic evident in his eyes. “They’ll get in trouble. Last time someone was caught they were sent away.”
Jungsu raised an eyebrow. “What happened to them?”
Donghae stared down at his milk carton. “They never came back.”
Jungsu found his gaze trained on his interlaced fingers and noticed they were trembling slightly. He suddenly realized what the emotion in Heechul’s voice had been.
Fear.
---
Heechul didn’t talk to him, not that Jungsu expected any different. In fact, he just seemed to pretend that Jungsu didn’t exist, which was fine with the older boy. He didn’t want Heechul remembering that Jungsu had seen him having sex with Typhoon and decide to kill him because of it.
Weeks passed, and Jungsu’s fears of Heechul’s wrath and his accident with his gift faded with time. He figured that he’d lost control of his power because of stress.
Typhoon always seemed to be watching him. As if waiting for an accusation. Jungsu refused to meet his eyes when they all ate together, and meals were always awkward. He was the first to leave the table, unless Heechul decided he didn’t feel like eating in his presence, which happened from time to time.
Jungsu grabbed his tray and headed toward the table with Donghae. The younger boy was chatting away animatedly about how he was going to move up in training. When Heechul looked up and spotted Jungsu he stood with his own tray. “Typhoon, let’s eat in my dorm.”
“You should stop acting so suspiciously. People are going to start suspecting things if you two keep it up.”
The entire table turned to Xmas. The other man simply eyed Heechul with barely veiled disgust. Heechul stared right back, “What are we doing that’s suspicious?”
“You’re always alone with each other. Just the two of you. There have been rumors going around about an investigation.”
“Xmas, shut up. What are you doing?” Attack hissed, reaching for the other man, but Heechul merely placed his tray back down with a smirk.
“What are you getting at, Jungmo?”
Xmas stood as well. “Don’t call me that name. I never gave you permission. We’re not close enough. Not close like you and hyung.”
People were beginning to stare. The cafeteria conversation had all but ceased. Jungsu looked around worriedly.
“If you don’t shut up, that hyung you care for so much will get in trouble too.” Heechul warned icily.
“…Heechul…” Typhoon placed an arm on his shoulder but Heechul shook it off.
Xmas clenched his fists. “Not if I told them that a redheaded slut decided to-” Heechul lunged by this point, slamming Xmas onto the table. Trays crashed to the ground, sending food everywhere.
“Heechul!”
“Jungmo!”
Heechul’s hands were around Xmas’s throat, but all Jungsu could see was blood dripping from them, dripping off of the ice tearing through the back of his hands.
Typhoon grabbed Heechul and pried him off, taking one look at Heechul’s hands before he turned to Xmas. “What did you do to him?”
“He tried to kill me!” Xmas shouted back, coughing.
“If I wanted to kill you I wouldn’t be wearing my gloves, you little bitch.” Heechul spat back, but his teeth were chattering. His lips were tinged blue.
“Donghae, take Heechul to the medical center.” Typhoon ordered, looking around at the crowd. “I’ll handle this.”
“I’m fine.” Heechul spat out, but he obviously wasn’t. His body began to shake with little tremors.
Jungsu reacted first, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the table. “Come on.”
“Idiot, don’t touch me!”
“They’re watching.” Don’t worry. I won’t tell. You won’t get in trouble. I won’t let it happen. It’s what he wanted to say, and perhaps Heechul saw it in his eyes, because confusion showed on his face, disbelief before he swallowed and gave a shallow nod.
“…alright…”
Jungsu didn’t know why he wanted to protect Heechul. Maybe it was because Heechul had always seemed so strong and sure of himself. There had never been a moment when Heechul doubted himself or looked afraid until now.
Heechul was afraid. Afraid for himself or for Typhoon, Jungsu didn’t know, but either way it made Heechul seem oddly pitiful.
Donghae had followed them, his small footsteps trailing behind them down the hallway. “Hyung?”
“Yeah?” Heechul managed.
“Xmas won’t say anything, will he? I don’t want you to go away.” Donghae began crying.
“I’m fine. He won’t say anything. Leeteuk and Typhoon are going to fix it so don’t worry.” Heechul soothed as they walked into the medical center.
It wasn’t until after Jungsu left the medical center that he realized Heechul had called him by his nickname.
---
Because of Xmas’s attack, Heechul not only had to get stitches in his hands, but he came down with hypothermia that developed into pneumonia.
Jungsu had seen Typhoon’s reaction, and he was terrified about what the younger man had said to Xmas afterwards back in their dormitory. Donghae spent most of his time in the medical center with Heechul, often sleeping on the bed with him as a kitten.
It was after that, that the investigation began. People came and talked to them, or at least to Jungsu. He figured that they talked to the others as well. They asked him invasive, personal questions. Did he know if there were any “unlawful relationships” going on? How close were Heechul and Typhoon? Did they spend lengthy amounts of time alone together?
Jungsu found himself replying. No. No they were only teammates. They didn’t spent too much time alone, because he and Donghae were usually always with them. Heechul couldn’t touch people without killing them, how would they be able to do anything else?
The last fact seemed to shut them up, and Jungsu was oddly proud of himself when they looked at each other, perplexed and stumped over this newfound revelation that had always been right under their noses.
The investigation stopped after that.
As the investigation stopped, Jungsu’s training with his secondary gift increased. It was fine at first. He’d forgotten about the earlier incidents. But only a few days after he began training in earnest, problems began to develop.
He’d be holding a tray and it would fall through his fingers. He’d sit down in a chair and fall through it. He’d wake up under his bed instead of on it. Little things, but they terrified him. He began to have nightmares, and then he’d wake up, staring up at the wooden frame and mattress of his bed and realize that both Heechul and Donghae weren’t there. He was alone.
The scientists began to notice. He was losing sleep and he was terrified to use his gift. It always got worse after he used his gift. He didn’t feel like he could control it anymore. He didn’t feel like his body was his. He touched things and then he was no longer touching them he was going through them and that terrified him.
What if one day he couldn’t go solid again?
“Park Jungsu?”
Jungsu looked up from the book he’d been reading. Donghae leaned forward to see who was at the door and eyed the scientists with curiosity. “Yes?”
“Could you come with me? We’re going to run a few tests.”
“Um. Alright.”
“Come back soon, Teukie hyung. Heechul hyung gets discharged today!” Donghae called after him.
Jungsu nodded absently, following behind the scientists obediently. He led him down a hallway that Jungsu didn’t remember. The layout became unfamiliar, as the scientists finally stopped in front of a door with a keypad and punched in a lock code before walking through and holding it open for Jungsu.
He entered, and blinked.
It was a large room, like a warehouse. The walls were concrete and there were large, industrial fans whirring overhead. The room was full of people: adults, children, male, female. Jungsu looked back at the scientists.
“Please remain here for now.” The scientist smiled before heading back the way he had come.
Jungsu glanced around the room again as he made his way through the crowd, trying to find a less populated corner. Everyone was talking loudly, worriedly.
“What happened? Do you know why we’re here?”
“I shouldn’t be here. I had GAM. I was lying in bed and I woke up and now I’m here.”
“What’s going on? Why won’t they tell us anything?”
As he looked around he briefly recognized his old roommate, the middle-aged man whose name he’d never remembered.
“Um…hello?”
Jungsu turned to his right. The boy was chubby, short, and looked to be a few years younger than he was. He also looked confused and embarrassed. Jungsu tried to smile reassuringly at him. It seemed like most of these people had only just woken up after surviving GAM. They didn’t know what was going on. Perhaps Jungsu had been sent here because he’d help with the explanation when the scientists came back?
“Hi. I’m Jungsu. You can call me Leeteuk.”
“I’m Shin Donghee.” The boy replied. “Um…Leeteuk hyung…do you know where the bathroom is?”
Leeteuk frowned. “I don’t know if there’s a bathroom in here. This is the first time that I’ve been in this room, but I live here at this facility. Don’t worry. Everything is going to be ok. Do you remember what happened before you came here?”
“I was at home. Eating dinner with mom and dad.” The boy shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t feel good. I got sick. I don’t remember much after that. Then I woke up in a room and was brought here.”
Jungsu nodded. “I see. Well, I think that someone is going to come in soon and explain everything, so don’t worry, alright? When they do, we’ll ask about the bathroom.”
Donghee smiled shyly. “…thanks.”
“Hyung…hyung!” Heechul pushed through the crowd of people. “Hyung!”
Jungsu blinked in confusion. What was Heechul doing here? Hadn’t he just been discharged from the medical center? He still looked pale, and there was something off about him. Like he was worried about something. The look didn’t fit his face. “What is it?”
“We have to go.” Heechul replied, looking around the room in what could only be described as panic.
“They told us to wait here.” Jungsu motioned around the room. “I think they’re going to give some kind of explanation because so many people contracted GAM in such a short amount of time-hey! What are you doing?”
Heechul grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the door. “We have to go now.”
Leeteuk looked over at Donghee and grabbed the chubby boy’s hand. “Come on, you can come with us. We’ll find the bathroom.”
The boy nodded.
Heechul rolled his eyes but didn’t protest. “Whatever. Come on!” Heechul headed toward the door and grabbed the handle. A pause. He tried again, a little more frantically this time. “It’s locked.”
“Well they said they’d be back soon.” Jungsu shrugged.
“No one is coming, hyung.” Heechul snapped. “They aren’t coming to explain anything.” He froze, and looked up at the ceiling. “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“That hissing sound…” Heechul’s eyes widened. “Shit.”
“What hissing-” Jungsu stopped, because the hissing was louder now. He could definitely hear it. He looked around at the ceiling. The fans had stopped. The room was beginning to smell funny. “…Heechul…?”
“We have to get out! Fuck!” Heechul tried the door again. People were beginning to panic. Leeteuk could hear screams, shouting.
“I’m going to have to take out the door-” Heechul had begun to pull his glove off when they were getting shoved against the door as people tried to get past them to escape.
“Heechul!” Jungsu was certain they were going to get trampled. Donghee was holding onto his hand tightly, plump little fingers grasping in fear. “What’s going on?”
Jungsu swallowed, grabbing for Heechul. He finally caught his arm. “Come on!” And then he phased, taking Heechul and Donghee with him through the door. The three collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. The air felt so much different here.
Heechul was already getting to his feet. “We have to hurry.” He gasped out.
Jungsu looked back at the door. “We can’t just leave everyone else there. We have to go back and save them!”
Heechul shook his head. “No time.”
“I’m not going to stand here and do nothing when I know I can help them!” Jungsu stepped toward the door, but was stopped as Heechul grabbed his arm and threw him up against the wall.
Heechul glared, looking angry and panicked and relieved at the same time. “Don’t you understand? They’re trying to kill you. If you go back now, you’ll die too! Do you have any sense of self preservation!?”
“But those people…”
“Are dead. You can’t help them.” Heechul replied stiffly. “Now let’s go.”
Jungsu allowed himself to be led down the hallway. It was empty. No one had expected anyone to escape. Heechul kept glancing around though, as if trying to find security cameras that probably weren’t there.
They made it out of the unknown area and up a flight of stairs. They were suddenly back in known territory. Jungsu knew these halls.
“Pretend like nothing is wrong.” Heechul whispered softly as they walked past a group of trainees. Jungsu nodded, and smiled reassuringly at Donghee. The boy looked like he was going to cry. Only shock seemed to have kept him quiet so far.
“There’s a blind spot in the security not too far from here.” Heechul explained, turning another corner. “Once we get there…” He trailed off, and Jungsu looked past him to see Typhoon.
Heechul swallowed, before whispering, “I was with you the entire time. You didn’t see these two.”
Typhoon eyed Jungsu and Donghee both, and for a moment, Jungsu was worried that he was going to tell on them. There was something off about him. Jungsu had always felt that his intentions were good up to this point, but now he began to wonder. But Typhoon gave a small laugh before walking past. “Whatever, princess. Don’t go showing everyone our secret makeout spots.”
Heechul pulled Jungsu toward a small alcove, Donghee stumbling behind. He pulled something out of his pocket and shoved it into Jungsu’s hands. Jungsu looked down. It was a wallet stuffed full of bills. “…Heechul…?”
Heechul wasn’t looking at him. He was staring out at the hallway, as if waiting for someone to walk past. “Go, find someplace to live. Get out of here.”
“But you…”
“Idiot, just go.”
Jungsu shook his head. “What about the others?”
“I can’t save everyone.” Heechul answered back stiffly. “I’m not god. I don’t even know why I saved you.” He knew why. He had heard Leeteuk’s god-awful laughter when passing down the halls of the Training Center one day and he couldn’t get the sound out of his head. Happy and obnoxious and addictive. And because Jungsu had helped him, had kept his secret.
And because the training center had lied to him.
“Why?”
Heechul let out a frustrated growl. “Because they’ll kill you if you stay, idiot. Have you been listening to anything I’ve told you?”
“No. Why did you save me?”
Heechul rolled his eyes. “You’re my hyung, aren’t you?”
It was only then that Leeteuk realized that Heechul had been calling him hyung since he’d gotten them out of the gas chamber. Heechul never called anyone hyung. That was all the answer he got and all that he needed. Leeteuk felt acknowledged for the first time in his life. “Come on Donghee. Let’s go.”