*Enjoy the first chapter! And right, not all pairings are romantic, but what can I assure is that there would be an entangled web of relationships, you understand what I mean, right? =)

*And, yeah, feel free to comment!

 

 

A silent killer in a form of a drug-resistant and genetic disrupting virus, claimed by others as a minute form of alien wanting to take over humanity, has taken the world by storm, rapidly spreading yet hardly containable, symptoms only showing months after infection that even some carriers give birth to an infected child as well, millions dying without being given the idea of the real problem. Years after, some cities wanting to thrive have enclosed their boundaries, with the damaged and mutated being left outside to die, still believing that they could make the cure.

For the sake of survival and assured protection, infected children were collected and taken care of within hidden facilities, trained and assigned to jobs where normal humans could die easily. With their unusual features and undeniable capabilities due to affected genetic code, they were kept a secret to the public’s eyes, except for a few who are working for the government and its allies. The public and their kind would never get along that well, that’s what they believed, but after certain encounters, viewpoints have changed, beliefs are strengthened, and maybe, learning about love and life have marked on their minds that the altered world, enclosing them more day by day, has felt more like home.

--

 

“We’re able to eat in proper time. We’re educated. And the most important one… we’re allowed to live. What more do you ask?”

“Well, you’re right about those things. But until then, we’re just hamsters running on wheels held by those who could stop us from running and let us loose in the world where we would be killed as well. And you’re asking me what should we ask from them?”

The world is too wide to run away. There would always be spaces to hide, yet too many eyes would be watching, not letting anyone go away. One’s choices only revolves around trying to cope up with the present situation or die trying to live on their own away from those who save them. One would get obsessed with the idea of being able to survive, that he would keep on fearing the future, hating the past, and not living in the present at all. He had always hoped that one day, when he doesn’t have those nightmares anymore, he would simply be woke up by the noise of busy street or his own alarm clock.

He wanted to wake up in any ways possible, get up from a totally different bed, just to not hear that dreaded wake-up call of sirens blaring again, signaling another day of killing their selves slowly. If they’re all lucky enough, they would be able to finish these years of closed training and be able to get out there, despite of the fact that it would mean greater risks for them.

“What is it now? Wanting to ask them about freedom again? And if ever they actually agree, do you realize that you’ll be a total outcast of the city and would be driven away once you escape this facility? The world’s been on the verge of dying for a long time already, and the only reasons why we’re still here, looked after and still sane, thankfully, is because we got that better chances of surviving that threat outside the iron gates, than those citizens that are simply living with the idea instilled in their minds that no matter what, the government would keep them safe. But that doesn’t mean that they would actually treat you nicely just because you’re one of us, the persons who could protect them. No matter how many times you explain yourself, our appearance would totally defeat that purpose. That’s how normal humans would think.”

He wanted to be his confident self, the one who could retort back easily, but those words had struck something within him that he ended up tongue-tied. Looking back at the reflection of his unusual features on the glass of water in his hand, there’s no doubt that he would easily gather everyone’s attention if he ever try to mingle with the civilians.

“Jeonghan-hyung, I’m not saying this to dishearten you or disappoint you as a friend, but honestly, you should stop blurting those ideas, especially when the high-ranking officers and trainers are around. You saw what they did to Vernon when he sneaked out just to get those what the people out there called chocolates.”

“Who gave him the idea anyways. It was you, wasn’t it?”

“Correction, I just gave him some from my secret stash. I didn’t tell him to steal some. It was purely his idea to actually-”

“Because you told him that your stock is almost finished, and you have seen how much he adored those snacks. You should watch over him frequently these days, you’ll never know what he’ll do next.”

“I know, I’ll be- wait. Isn’t this conversation about you? Why did this pass a divided road and took a totally unrelated track? As I was saying earlier, you should be more careful with whatever you say or, yeah, you know what the probable punishment is.”

“I’ll take that in mind Seungkwan. I guess it was all just a foolish dream of mine after all.”

“I understand you, it’s like you have this cage encasing you and you’re feeling suffocated and immobile, unluckily for you, your friend over here would always prefer the comfort and free foods here than socialize with hundreds of judging people. And here, I could talk and whine all I want and no one would freak out.”

Hearing his friend chatter like usual mornings made the older male feel at ease, that this was his home, not the place itself but the people that had always accepted him and treat him with indifference.

“They might freak out more if you get all quiet all of a sudden.”

“Well, you’ve got a point there. Oh right, I almost forgot, I have an appointment with Doctor Ailee. This fangs of mine are getting less sharper these days.”

“Then tell Vernon to stop-”

“Oh no, don’t continue whatever you’re planning to say, or I might get nightmares again.”

All he could do right now is laugh, the sound seems to be hollow than usual, and if there’s one reason why him and Seungkwan have been good friends ever since they met within the facility, is that the latter doesn’t push his curious side every time he sense that Jeonghan would be uncomfortable in answering his inquiry. No words needed, he just feels it, and the older guy is thankful for this soft side of his comrade.

“Fine, but since the object of our talk is coming towards us, you better ready yourself.”

“What do yo- what?”

“Boo! I’ve been looking for you everywhere! Oh, hi hyung! What’s up!?”

“Oh my… did you stole my choco bars again?”

“Me? No! But…”

“But? What did you do now, huh? Vernon?! Where are you going? Come back here!”

Seeing his younger buddies run after each other within the dining hall, hearing the kitchen staff and one of the hall monitor who seems quite small for the task scolding them for their rash action, and other companions and co-trainees that just laughed actually finding the scene amusing, he felt the same warmth when they first accepted him with open arms.

Maybe, his idea would be nothing but just a hopeless dream after all.

---

It is a modern world, and he’s supposed to stay within his room all cozy and sanitized, away from all the current dilemmas, dramas and dead people lined along the streets, senseless wins and dreamless defeats. An attack had just occurred yesterday and the products of the fight weren’t hauled completely towards the center of the city. He knows that there’s a certain group of individuals that defend them from harm, yet until now no one knows even one from those men. It’s not like he cares about the military and economic aspects within the area. He’s just being a curious boy, that’s all.

And he knows that no one’s supposed to be out in the middle of the night, without any means of protecting himself nor any company to act as his guide along the escape. If you’re smart enough you wouldn’t bother to take the risk and engage in nightly encounter with anyone living outside the iron gates of your city, with nothing but packed midnight snack and some sketch pad and pens that you have sneaked out of what’s supposed to be a stockroom of the raids beyond the borders.

Though, everyone who saw him grow up knows how stubborn Mingyu could be, especially when it’s curiosity eating up his brain. If possible, he wants to learn anything new, something that piques his interest, or he would never stop searching for it.

You know that fleeting feeling of not being able to reason why but you keep on doing it? For to hell with emotions and straight way of thinking but this hardheadedness is one of my pride. Like when your parents told you to not run around under the rain but you still did and you end up sick but there’s still a smile  painted on your lips that seemed to rip it on the corners. Or when a teacher told you to write a wholesome essay regarding the improvement and wonderful changes by the world government allies and you submit a single page filled with 100 words telling how you despise the new protocols and rules of the world, with thousands of people who seemed to be driven by the hunger for power, fame, or abundant resources. He hates it when stupidity could be simply wrapped around with glitter and glory, then you are good to go, treated like elite they don’t deserve.

And he hates it that when he’s already this far from home, and less than a hundred steps from the gates, he needed to hide in such an uncomfortable manner within a narrow alley just to avoid the rotating night watchers that had almost slipped from his mind because of the long self-monologue.

Now that there’s no going back, he supposes he could wait for even another hour just to accomplish his goal.

“Oh, come on, just go away already, it’s not like this is the only area you should be keeping an eye on,” he said in hushed tone, sighing lightly afterwards after seeing the retreating figures.

“Finally.”

He would be laughing in front of the faces of whoever’s in-charge of the night watch, since he had always been wandering within the city’s scope at unlikely hours, even observing areas near laboratories and facilities never disclosed to the public, though careful enough to avoid being caught in any surveillance medium.

His father is a member of the army, and he has always been asked if ever his son is interested to follow his footsteps, always shaking the comments afterwards, saying that he’ll let Mingyu choose the work that he wants. The boy has been into more domestic tasks after all, such as cooking and weaving, and him and his wife are never ashamed about it. All they did was adore him more.

If only he knows what his son has been actually doing every night he’s out for work, he might even be the one recruiting his own flesh and blood to their organization.

This might be one of his biggest antic, most dangerous it seems, but seeing the gates just an arm’s length away he couldn’t help but let excitement take over the fear in his system, that, until he felt his self get pulled away, as gentle as possible, yet he couldn’t move out from the firm hold.

“That action is totally prohibited. You’ll just harm yourself, so don’t think about doing it again, okay?”

He didn’t plan on being frozen on the spot at the moment when he’s supposed to escape from his captor, yet after hearing the voice and looking clearly at the young man in front of him, despite of the poor illumination by the moon and with the one hour daily lights off for all sources of light attached to the gates itself, he couldn’t help but gaze with awe.

 Amber eyes, strong yet kind; gold curlicues on his brow going down his right cheek, arranged haphazardly yet pleasant to the eyes; a gentle smile, shy-looking yet unwavering; and the coal black sharp-looking feathers adorning the wings on his back. It was something to behold, that even though the pale pink curly hair seems to be out of place with the dark image, to Mingyu, it fits the other person well.

“Oh, right! I was assigned to bring you to the headquarters, so I hope that you’ll just cooperate since I’ll be the one on the bad side if I fail to do this. Don’t worry, I won’t drag you, we could just actually fly towards there, since on one would see anyways.”

All he could do is nod, despite knowing that it’s a total stranger who had told him he’ll be brought to wherever he’s not sure of. And when he felt himself lifted off the ground, the strong gust of air woke him up to his senses, though he couldn’t do anything now since he’s sure struggling now might mean him falling towards death.

“Oh my, oh my-”

“I’m really sorry, but we’ll be there soon, so hang on, okay?”

“Who the hell are you, what are you?!”

“I guess, I don’t really know for sure. But everything would be explained clearly later.”

He couldn’t look at the face that he had admired just a few seconds ago, yet he could hear the sadness in his voice that he felt guilty for asking such direct and harsh questions. Blame that mouth of him that doesn’t know the word filtering.

For now, he’ll just hang on tightly and close his eyes, not minding the way he’s carried in a bridal manner. First task for today is to survive, and uplift the guy’s spirits afterwards once they touch a solid ground.

And oh how he wished that this would not be the last night he’d be able to have a glimpse of this world, no matter how much disfavor he has towards certain principle of the government and its allies. For no matter how ugly or scary the world becomes, he would find ways of seeing beauty in it, ways to show to the people how beautiful it is to live. That, he guesses, is one of the main reasons of his secret escapades, and he would never turn his back on this dream.

Having an encounter with the creature cradling him in his arms at the moment, might just have strengthen his will to carry out that dream. Still far it might seem, but no one said it would be impossible.

“Here we are, you can open your eyes now.”

 

 

*Well, who do you guys think is the winged man? But I am thinking most of you have idea right now. =)

*This would be quite detailed so I'll do my best to research well for you dear readers. Take care for the rest of the day!