Hello, hello! I'm back after two months with an update for this. (It's been so long.) I'd like to blame the formatting of this chapter on How to Get Away With Murder since it kinda goes from the end to the beginning. (Ironically, I wrote this in the opposite order.) There's a lot of stuff happening here and I forget most of what I wanted to explain beforehand. By the end of the first part it should be obvious who the girl I introduced in the last chapter is. I haven't figured out how I want the villain/antagonist to be in this, so I'll just work it out as I go. There's a bit of woogyu in here as well as some hoyeol and a touch of hojong. There's also some backstory for Hoya; which I meant to write a few chapters ago. Also, I have plans for Sungyeol, but that's not coming up too soon. For now there's just a teeny-tiny hint if you can find it. I need to stop talking now. Enjoy~

Dongwoo stirs at the feeling of soft fingers on his cheek. He leans into the touch as his groggy mind tries to recall when he had fallen asleep. His eyes blink open slowly to take in unfamiliar surroundings. The room is white and bare, making him mistake it for a hospital room at first glance. When he tilts his head up slightly to see who’s touching him, he’s more than surprised to find Hyuna standing over him. He'd last talked to her in the morning as they shared an elevator.

"What are you doing here," he asks her, trying to sit up only for her to stop him with a hand on his shoulder. He's on some kind of examination table. The surface is hard and cold. "Where are we?" When Hyuna doesn't say anything Dongwoo attempts sitting up again. Hyuna's hand stays on his shoulder, but she doesn't hold him down. "What happened?" He's confused and disoriented and the lack of response isn't helping.

He reaches out to her, wanting to assure her that things will be okay even as he still doesn't know what's going on. She steps out of his reach almost immediately. Her eyes are trained on the floor, like she can’t bring herself to look at him. "I’m sorry," she says. With the apology comes a wave of sadness that further confuses Dongwoo as it washes over him.

"Sorry? Why are y—What are you talking about? Just tell me what’s going on." Now that he thinks about it, Dongwoo doesn’t remember much from the past couple of hours. He’d been on his way to meet Myungsoo and Sungjong for dinner. (Sunggyu and Woohyun were occupied with each other and Howon and Sungyeol were…similarly engaged.) He knows he got as far as the elevator, but after that it’s all blank. It seems like Hyuna is connected to that missing time; he just wants to know in what way.

Hyuna takes another step back when he reaches for her again. "I’m sorry," she says again. Just as Dongwoo’s about to get up from the table, the door to the room opens. (Dongwoo hadn’t even noticed there was a door. It blends in seamlessly with the walls.) A man steps inside. He's older, maybe late-forties or early-fifties, with a touch of gray in his hair. The crisp suit he has on seems more fitting for a boardroom or even a courtroom. Contrary to his serious attire, though, is the smile on his face when he looks at Dongwoo and Hyuna.

"Who are you?" Even as he asks the question the answer's already come to him. Sungjong had warned them of this happening, of someone searching for them because of their powers. The thought of his friends nearly makes his heart stop in his chest from fear. His optimistic side wants to believe they're safe, but deep down he knows if he's here then the chances of that being true aren't very good. He hides his panic by getting up from the table and standing as tall as his short (and slightly wobbly) legs will allow him.

The man smiles even wider at the question. "Ah, we should get the formalities over with first, shouldn't we? You can call me Dr. Moon for now." He moves to stand beside Hyuna and rests a hand on her shoulder. "And of course you already know my daughter."

Dongwoo's eyes fly to the only woman in the room. It all makes sense now. Their first meeting and every other time after that, her reluctance to talk about herself, her apology and the sadness and guilt Dongwoo can still feel radiating from her. It all makes sense now and Dongwoo feels so stupid for not realizing it sooner. This is all his fault.

---

Two Hours Earlier

Although Howon is good at seeming cool and collected, in truth he's not all that confident. Especially when it comes to relationships. Myungsoo can attest to that as a longtime friend. It's a wonder they even became friends in the first place. Howon tends to keep to himself, letting others approach him first and speaking sparingly in social settings. He'd like to blame his personality on his family's background. Coming from so much money and power and having to deal with all the strings attached, there's always a spotlight on him. There's always someone watching him for whatever reason. That could be why he tries not to call too much attention to himself. It helps to avoid scrutiny if he blends in (with the crowd or the wallpaper, either's fine).

Of course, that became considerably more difficult when he realized that he wasn't normal. True to what Dongwoo had believed, Howon had thought there was a ghost attached to him. He hadn't minded too much, though. Even with two siblings he'd been somewhat lonely growing up. Enough so that having a lost soul following him around was oddly appealing. That delusion lasted up until the end of his first semester at college. He'd gotten into a fight with his father, their first fight ever. His older brother may have been the one set to succeed their father as the head of the company, but that hadn't meant Howon's life wasn't already mapped out. After months (which were preceded by years) of following his father's strict orders, Howon felt a rebellion was long overdue. He'd just wanted a bit of freedom, a chance to be a regular guy—even though that was close to impossible when his classmates were all too familiar with his name and his family.

So he had given up on the business degree and chosen acting instead. The school had a great theater program and that had been how he'd met Myungsoo. Howon knows he should have spoken with his parents first before suddenly changing his major. They'd been the ones paying for it and they even let him pick the school—which is why he picked the furthest one he could find that wasn't outside the country. When his father found out he'd demanded Howon switch back immediately. They had a screaming match over the phone with Howon threatening to run away (he was an adult, but an absent child wouldn't look good for his family's image) and his father threatening to cut him off financially.

They were at an impasse when they ended the call and Howon had been too mad to be concerned with how many people must have heard the argument. He'd sat on his bed in his dorm room, phone clutched in his hand and chest heaving as he caught his breath, when a book dropped from the bookcase next to it. More books followed the first as other things in the room started to move. The papers on his desk flew from their neat piles as if blown by the wind. The clothes in his closet were tossed carelessly across the room. In his anger he didn't notice that his room was being trashed by just his frustrated thoughts. He didn't even remember where he was until he heard a knock on the door and Myungsoo's voice calling him from the other side.

Taking in the sight of his dorm room, Howon had realized that there was no way anyone or anything else could have caused as much damage. He might not have physically pushed the bookcase to the floor or smashed the potted plant Myungsoo had given him, but he'd imagined it. He'd wanted to throw and break things and vent his anger and that's exactly what happened.

After that Howon retreats a bit more into himself. He’s afraid of himself and what he can do. Things move around him and he can’t blame it on a spirit. It takes a while before he can feel comfortable with himself and his abilities. He credits Myungsoo with keeping him from closing himself off completely. And then, of course, there's Dongwoo. The older man and his boundless optimism have taught Howon to not be afraid of his powers. He's helped him learn how to control it and use it—with a lesson or two from Sunggyu and Sungjong.

But the person Howon thinks has really changed him (or at least made him want to change) is Sungyeol. He's never gotten close to someone as quickly as he has with him. Especially when they're so different. Sungyeol is so bright, so outgoing, so likable, so Sungyeol. He brings Howon out of his shell whenever they're together. He makes him want to come even further out of his shell. Howon doesn’t need Myungsoo’s teasing or Sungjong’s knowing glances to tell him what he already knows. He knows what being nice to Sungyeol and buying him things and letting him get away with things he wouldn’t even let Myungsoo get away with means. He knows what the butterflies in his stomach and the blush he tries to hide whenever Sungyeol smiles at him mean.

The problem is Woohyun. Not the man himself, but the complicated history he has with Sungyeol. They used to like each other and now they’ve settled on friendship. Although Woohyun’s obviously moved on with Sunggyu, Howon knows Sungyeol isn’t quite there yet. There's still a part of him that likes Woohyun even though he's already chosen to move on. Howon doesn't want to be presumptuous, but he thinks there's a good chance he could be the one to help Sungyeol get over Woohyun. He thinks what they have could definitely lead to something more, that he's not alone with his feelings.

But as different as Howon is from before, he's still very much a coward. Fear of baring his heart and being rejected keeps him from confessing to Sungyeol. Instead he finds it easier to just be friends with him. There's no pressure when they're together the way they are now. Despite it just being the two of them, Howon is comfortable having dinner with Sungyeol. They've done this enough times that he isn't (that) distracted by his crush anymore. It still shows at times, though. Like when they're leaving the restaurant and Sungyeol's arm slips across Howon's shoulders.

"Sometimes I wish I was like you," Sungyeol admits, leaning more of his weight on Howon. His face is turned away, looking up at the sky.

This is probably the closest they've ever been physically. Howon wonders if that second bottle of soju might have something to do with it. Sungyeol had insisted and Howon didn’t really resist. He tamps down his surprise at the contact and focuses instead on the other’s words. "I get it; not just anyone can have a face like mine."

Sungyeol lets out a scoff that turns into a laugh. "If I wanted anyone’s face it would be Sungjong’s," he says through his chuckles.

"Not Myungsoo’s?"

"No, that’s too much. I want to be beautiful, but still approachable, you know?"

"You’re already beautiful," Howon states without thinking. After a few steps he realizes he’s walking by himself. When he looks back, Sungyeol is standing in the middle of the sidewalk staring at him. "What?"

Sungyeol doesn’t move any closer before he answers, much to Howon’s dismay. "You think I’m beautiful," he asks loud enough for a few passing people to hear.

He doesn’t seem fazed by the curious looks thrown their way, but Howon feels embarrassed enough for the both of them. He just admitted something he’s never said out loud before and complete strangers are around to witness it. Sungyeol’s still staring at him, obviously expecting some kind of response. "Uh, I-I just—I meant you're...you know."

Howon's flustered words seem to pull Sungyeol out of his shock. He finally takes a couple steps toward the other. "I don't know, actually," he says with a small smile. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

This is it, Howon thinks. This is the perfect opportunity for him to confess to Sungyeol. Especially when it seems like the younger man is expecting it. There's a pregnant pause as Howon searches Sungyeol's face for any clues as to his next move. He should know what he's doing (or what he should be doing), but he really doesn't. "You're...you said you wish you were like me."

Sungyeol's disappointment is almost palpable. His smile falls as he blinks back at Howon. It takes a moment for him to respond. "Yeah, I meant, you know, that I wish I could do what you do." Howon wouldn't blame him if he decided to just walk away. He kind of wants to do that himself. "I wish I had special powers too," Sungyeol admits quietly. He starts walking again and Howon falls into step beside him. There's a significant amount of space between them now.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be," Howon denies. It's not likely the conversation will go back to being as easy or light as before, but Howon doesn't want it to become unbearably awkward. "I don't think I'm all that special." Most of the time he feels out of place, like an outsider observing the ways of a foreign land. The feeling usually goes away when he's with the others (and Sungyeol especially).

Much like Howon's earlier, Sungyeol's response is automatic. "I think you're special." As they stop at a crosswalk he looks over at Howon. His face is too serious for him to be only saying that to make the other man feel better. The moment is interrupted by the sign changing to "walk". The people around them start crossing the street, leaving them no choice but to cross as well. By the time they reach the other side the serious look is gone from Sungyeol's face. He's smiling again. Not the wide, genuine kind of smile Howon is used to seeing, but it's not necessarily forced either. There's also less space between them—or so Howon would like to think. "I don't know what I'd want to do, though," Sungyeol says, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets. "Telekinesis seems pretty cool."

"Not when you don't know what you're doing," Howon counters, "or that you're the one doing it."

"You seem like you know what you're doing, though."

Howon shakes his head, feeling modest from Sungyeol's sort-of-a-compliment. "I still have a lot to learn." Sungyeol smiles a bit wider, but doesn't say anything. The other man doesn't mind; he takes it to mean he didn't totally screw things up earlier. They walk another block in silence until they reach a small park. The streetlights shine down on the empty playground and pathways. It's too late at night to do anything besides pass through it. Sungyeol turns into the park without a glance back. "Where are you going," Howon asks him. He's walked Sungyeol home a few times, but they've never gone through the park.

"Shortcut," Sungyeol throws over his shoulder. He keeps walking, leaving Howon no choice but to follow him. The other looks back to street in search of his bodyguards. He'd told them to lay low for the time being just to give him and Sungyeol some privacy. He doesn't see any sign of them, though. When he looks back into the park he sees that Sungyeol's already gotten pretty far. His gut tells him to look into his missing protectors, but his mind tells him not to let Sungyeol out of his sight until he's safe at home. His mind wins fairly quickly. If there's any trouble he's mostly sure he can defend himself as well as Sungyeol.

Panic makes Howon's stomach drop when he finally steps into the park and doesn't see Sungyeol at all. As tall as the younger man is, he should be easy to spot. And yet, the park is seemingly empty save for Howon. "Sungyeol," he calls out, trying not to sound as scared as he feels. He can only hope nothing happened to the other in the short time his eyes weren't on him.

It's probably Howon's paranoid mind imagining another set of footsteps. He stops to check behind himself just in case, but of course there's no one there. That doesn't mean he's ready to let out the breath he's holding, though. Sungyeol hasn't answered him and Howon's starting to become less sure of who he should be more afraid for: himself or Sungyeol.

He's about to call out to Sungyeol again when everything goes black.

---

Six Hours Earlier

"This is so inappropriate," Sunggyu says as Woohyun backs him up into a shelf. He's the only one who needs to be in the storage room; Woohyun's supposed to be downstairs at the counter. But of course the younger man would much rather take advantage of the two of them being alone in the store. "What if the boss comes in?"

Undeterred by the other's hypothetical, Woohyun's hands glide up Sunggyu's torso to wrap around his neck. "We'll hear him if he does. You know how he likes to announce himself." Plus, they're all the way at the back of the room; it's not like they're standing downstairs in the middle of the room. He leans in quickly to connect their lips—and probably stop Sunggyu from talking more. Sunggyu's hands automatically come up to hold Woohyun's waist, making him smile against Sunggyu's lips. The older man has a habit of pushing Woohyun away when he actually wants to pull him closer. Woohyun's still trying to break him out of that.

Sunggyu's just starting to let go of his hesitance when a strong wave of anxiety washes over him. He pulls away from Woohyun with a gasp. His back hits the shelf behind him, shaking the boxes on it. Woohyun's hands slip from around his neck as he takes a step back to study him.

"What is it? Did you hear something?"

Sunggyu can only shake his head. He doesn't really know how to explain what he's feeling or where it even came from. He's never felt as nervous as he does now. It's like he's having a panic attack, but there's absolutely no reason why he should be having one. His heart is hammering in his chest when he rests his hand over it. "I-I don't know what's happening," he tells Woohyun. His eyes are boring into Sunggyu to try to guess what might be wrong. Sunggyu closes his eyes and takes slow, deep breaths to calm his heartbeat. Woohyun's hands, tentative and unsure, start to run up and down his biceps, further soothing him. After a few minutes, Sunggyu lets his hand fall from his chest and opens his eyes.

"How do you feel," Woohyun asks him softly.

Although he's not as freaked out as before, there's still a whirlwind of emotions that Sunggyu is trying to sort through. Confusion, fear, panic. They're clouding his mind and sitting heavy on his chest. The confusion he thinks he can understand; it's mostly from the sudden onset of the other two emotions. The strange thing, though, is that Sunggyu isn't actually scared or panicked. Those aren't his feelings and yet he's feeling them both so strongly. Even before he wonders why or how, he already knows who these emotions are from.

"Dongwoo."

"What?"

"Dongwoo," Sunggyu repeats more urgently. The anxiety hasn't left him, but he can finally bring himself to move, to do something. "It's Dongwoo."

"What's wrong with Dongwoo?" Woohyun doesn't seem any closer to understanding Sunggyu.

He pushes past the younger man to leave the storage room. He doesn’t know what he’s going to do, where he’s going; he just knows something is wrong with Dongwoo and he needs to find him. "I don’t know what’s wrong with him," he says. Woohyun’s right behind him as he rushes down the stairs. He gets as far as the front door before Woohyun grabs his arm to bring him to a stop. "Something isn’t right. I can feel it."

---

Ten Hours Earlier

From the moment Sungjong woke up he’d felt like something wasn't right, like something was off but he couldn't tell what it was. It had left him somewhat on edge for most of the morning. He'd been distracted while getting ready for work and unable to get through any of his breakfast thanks to the knots in his stomach. There's an itch under his skin that he can't seem to find. It's like his entire body is unsettled and making sure he knows it. He suspects it's related to his powers, but he's never felt like this before, during, or after a vision. Unless this is a new side of his powers or they’re growing in some way, he has no idea why he's reacting like this.

He plasters a smile on his face before he approaches his friends' table. They tend to worry about and fawn over him because he's the youngest and has one of the more burdensome abilities among them. If they knew there was something bothering him they'd get unnecessarily concerned and Sungjong would rather they focus on more important things.

"What are you guys doing here so early," he asks when he reaches them. Sungyeol and Howon are sitting on one side of the table while Myungsoo and Dongwoo take up the other side. Sunggyu and Woohyun must be off being all lovey-dovey—or they're busy running the record store, which probably doesn't stop them from being grossly sweet to each other. And although they're out of sight, Sungjong's sure Howon's bodyguards are around.

Sungyeol speaks up first, leaning his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his open palms. "We're here to see the flower boy barista, of course. Why else would we be here?" He bats his eyes up at Sungjong and the younger man has to remind himself that he's still on the clock. Hitting customers (even when they're so-called friends) is frowned upon.

"He's just here for free coffee," Myungsoo reveals. He sticks his tongue out at Sungyeol when the other shoots him a glare. Sungyeol keeps coming to the café when Sungjong's working to try to get free food. Sungjong always makes him pay, but he's pretty sure Sungyeol's managed to sweet talk a couple of his coworkers into giving him freebies.

"Well, he's not getting any from me," Sungjong states. He ignores Sungyeol's pout. One would think by now the older man would have realized his tricks don't work on Sungjong. Howon, though, is a different story. "Just ask Howon."

Sungyeol never asks Howon to buy or do anything for him. It's mostly out of pride, but it's not like he has to anyway. In his own painfully awkward way, Howon does Sungyeol's bidding without the other having to actually say anything. Sungyeol accepts his kindness with a mixture of confusion and bashfulness. And yet that never gets in the way of them exchanging teasing and snarky remarks. Sungjong finds their relationship adorable, probably because he knows what's coming. (Sungyeol's tried countless times to get Sungjong to tell him what he's seen, but the younger man doesn't want to spoil the surprise.)

Sungyeol glances at Howon before mumbling, "I can pay for my own drink."

"I don't mind," Howon insists.

"Does that mean you're paying for me, too?" Myungsoo looks across the table at his friend with barely hidden amusement. He doesn't need Sungjong's powers to see what's happening. (If only Sungyeol wasn't so blind.)

Howon scoffs, not as flustered as Myungsoo'd hoped. "When don't I pay for you?" Myungsoo concedes that point with a nod of his nod.

"Ooh, me too," Dongwoo pipes up. He raises his hand unnecessarily and Myungsoo reaches over to high-five him. That must be some sort of inside joke between the two of them as they both start laughing, leaving everyone else confused.

"I guess I'm paying for everybody," Howon sighs. He says it like he'd rather do anything else, but Sungjong can tell he's happy. Probably because Sungyeol hasn't tried to turn him down again.

Eventually Myungsoo and Dongwoo stop being weird and Sungjong takes their order. When he leaves to start making his friends' drinks, Howon tags along saying he might as well pay their bill now. Sungjong doesn't realize that's just an excuse until he gets to the front counter and Howon catches his arm before he can step behind it. He looks at the other questioningly.

"Are you okay?" Howon watches Sungjong's face carefully as he waits for the younger man's answer. He's obviously concerned, but trying not to show it.

Despite the front Sungjong had put up, Howon had still noticed that something was off with him. "Why wouldn't I be," he asks back. He doesn't want to say anything until he knows what he's feeling is warranted. He doesn't want the others to worry over nothing.

Howon starts to say something before he cuts himself off. "Never mind," he tells Sungjong. "Forget I said anything."

The fact that Howon gives up so easily almost makes Sungjong change his mind. If there's something making him uneasy—even if he can't pinpoint exactly what that something is—it might be best to tell someone who'll understand. Although he always complains when they or treat him like a kid, this is the one time he wouldn't mind it so much. If Sungjong's being honest with himself, he's actually rather scared. He doesn't know how to explain what's happening to him or what it's supposed to mean. Keeping it to himself seems a lot harder now with Howon's caring eyes on him. But he does just that after a moment's hesitation. He nods in response to Howon's suggestion and lets their conversation end there.

Howon pays for the drinks and returns to his seat while Sungjong takes his time making them. Sungjong knows this won't be the last time Howon tries to talk to him. Especially considering how much he's already confided in Howon in the few weeks they've known each other. (Howon is actually a really great listener. The first couple of times they'd hung out as just the two of them, he'd let Sungjong talk as much as he wanted about whatever came to mind. Then he'd give whatever advice or feedback he felt was necessary. As odd as it sounds, Sungjong's ramblings had brought them closer.)

By the time Sungjong finishes his friends’ order, his fake smile is back on his face. He puts his short conversation with Howon to the back of his mind. The nagging sense of foreboding still hasn’t left him, though. And he’s sure it won’t go away until whatever’s going to happen happens. Of course by then it’ll be too late.

The table is unusually subdued when Sungjong comes over with the tray carrying the drinks. "Did someone die," he jokes. All he gets is a half-hearted chuckle from Dongwoo. With furrowed eyebrows, Sungjong looks at everyone at the table one at a time. Howon and Myungsoo avoid his eyes while Sungyeol and Dongwoo meet his gaze with identical looks of concern. "Am I missing something?" He already knows why his friends are so somber; he was expecting it after Howon had confronted him.

There’s a moment of silence before Sungyeol asks, "Did you have another vision?"

Under different circumstances, the way Sungyeol jumps when Myungsoo kicks him and everyone at the table (Sungjong included) collectively shush him would probably be funny. Thankfully, it's during a lull in the café, so there's barely anyone around to overhear them. Sungjong sets the tray on the table and pulls up a chair from an empty table. "It's not like that," he admits quietly.

"Did something happen to you," Howon presses. Clearly he hasn't stopped thinking about it despite how quickly he'd dropped the subject earlier.

Sungjong shakes his head in response. "It's not like that either. You guys don't have to worry so much about me. It's... It's stupid, really."

"If it's bothering you, then it isn't stupid." Dongwoo argues. "Just tell us what's wrong."

With a sigh, Sungjong drops his gaze to his lap. "I don't know," he starts slowly. "I don't know what's wrong, but I can feel it. Something just doesn't feel right. Does that make any sense?"

Sungyeol makes sure to keep his voice low when he speaks up again. "Do you think it has something to do with your powers? Like, you can sense the future or something?"

Sungjong can only shrug. That is a theory he'd been mulling over. He doesn't know the full extent of his powers; his body knowing things before his mind does could very well be another side to his abilities.

"What if it's something else?" All eyes turn to Myungsoo. He reaches for his drink before elaborating. "You said there was someone looking for you, right?"

"Us," Sungyeol interjects, indicating Myungsoo’s inclusion in the word.

Myungsoo rolls his eyes, but corrects himself. "There’s someone looking for us, right?" Sungjong nods in agreement. "And you had that vision almost a month ago, but you couldn’t tell when it would happen. Maybe this feeling you have means it’s about to come true."

"We should tell Sunggyu and Woohyun," Dongwoo suggests. He already has his phone out, ready to call or send a message.

Sungjong puts his hand on the older man’s wrist. "We don’t have to. Not yet, at least." He speaks over Howon when he starts to disagree. Sungjong would like to think that this is his call. "Let’s just wait a little. It’s really not that bad and maybe it’ll go away soon. I don’t want them to be worried over something I can’t even prove."

Sungyeol and Myungsoo make noises of assent while Howon reluctantly nods. Dongwoo, on the other hand, isn’t as receptive. "They’ll still want to know," he insists.

"They will," Sungjong says, "I just don’t want to make too big of a deal out of this." Despite Dongwoo’s previous words, Sungjong still feels ridiculous. As nice and reassuring as it is to have his friends worrying about him, it’s also embarrassing. He’s made everyone nervous over what could turn out to be nothing. But he can’t decide if he would rather that outcome or for this feeling he has to really mean something.