a/n: Edited!

Part Four

Junmyeon groaned and fell to the ground, sweat running down his face and body.

“Very good, Junmyeon.” Master Kim leaned down and patted his shoulder. “You’ve made great progress already.”

Junmyeon looked wearily at the pool of water in front of them. The bottom half of it was still ice. “I suppose.”

“It took me months to develop the techniques for water users to manipulate ice,” Master Kim admonished him. “You’ve only been doing this for three days. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“Yes, Master.” Junmyeon sighed and sat back on his heels. He and Master Kim had been training all day, and his energy reserves were quite low.

“Let’s stop here for today.” Master Kim handed him a towel, and Junmyeon began rubbing his forehead and neck dry. “Go clear your mind in the woods before dinner. I will cook for us today.”

“Okay.” Junmyeon got to his feet. “I’ll be back soon.” He headed off to the woods without looking back.

Two years ago, Master Kim had taken him away from the army to train him. He’d brought him far away from the front lines to the heart of the Nation of Mountains. According to locals in the village at the base of the mountain, this was Master Kim’s ancestral home.

Junmyeon was honored to be here. He trained hard, throwing his entire being into the new techniques, ideas and forms that Master Kim taught him.

However, it was heartbreakingly lonely. Junmyeon hadn’t been able to tell his friends or family where he was going, as he was basically in hiding until the military decided that the Red Forces wouldn’t target him. He had managed to set up a slow correspondence with his old team in a larger town several hours travel away, but he and Master Kim only went there once a month.

Junmyeon knew it was overly sentimental, but he kept all of the letters from his team in a small folder in his room. As he’d suspected, all five of them had been split up and separated from each other. Minseok and Jongin had gone back to their hometowns, Yixing had been sent to work in a research hospital, Baekhyun was casually touring the countryside, and Kyungsoo had gone to the capitol to work. Junmyeon treasured all of the updates he received from them, and he did his best to respond and send letters to his family as well. Junmyeon couldn’t be sure that any of his letters reached them—after all, Junmyeon wouldn’t be surprised if the military had caught on to their correspondences, and intercepted them to make sure that no spies or enemies could figure out their locations. Nevertheless, he quietly hoped that his friends and family weren’t worrying about him too much.

Junmyeon slung the towel over his shoulders as he strode through the forest. Master Kim was right—he shouldn’t be too frustrated. His task was to melt the pool of ice, and he had managed to do half of it. Junmyeon figured that the next step would be to actually freeze the pool. He’d never realized how much his and Minseok’s magical abilities overlapped until his training.

Junmyeon headed towards a tree with a dark circle carved into the bark. These were magical wards that Master Kim had set up that Junmyeon wasn’t supposed to cross. Junmyeon had a charm around his neck that would alert Master Kim if he ever crossed the wards. While Junmyeon appreciated the security measure, it was also a reminder of how restricted his world was. Master Kim took him around to the village and to the town once a month, but Junmyeon still ached to come and go as he pleased.

Junmyeon stood at the edge of the border, gazing out at the trees ahead of him. In the distance, a doe bounded through the shadows. Birds chirped in the trees, and a wind rustled through the trees.

Junmyeon closed his eyes and placed his hands on the trunk of the tree, feeling the sturdy roughness of the bark. He grounded himself in reality, absorbing all of the sounds of the forest.

He opened his eyes after a moment, and blinked. A bloom of red caught his eye, and Junmyeon crouched, eyeing the spot of red with a sense of trepidation. It was just a flower, Junmyeon reminded himself. There was no way that the Red Forces knew he was here.

Then, the red spot moved, and Junmyeon realized that it was actually a butterfly. The butterfly flew towards him in meandering circles, and Junmyeon took a step back.

He was being irrational. The butterfly was just that—a butterfly. It couldn’t possibly be more than that.

The butterfly continued towards him, and Junmyeon turned around and began walking away. He paused once and looked over his shoulder. The butterfly had stopped and fallen to the ground right in front of the barrier. Junmyeon hesitated, and then started running back through the forest towards the house. No good could come from lingering.

“Master Kim!” Junmyeon called out as he stepped into the small house. “I’m back.”

“Welcome back.” The old man smiled kindly at him. “Do you feel better now?”

“Yes.” Junmyeon washed his hands and then went to sit in the kitchen. “Master…your barrier doesn’t prevent wildlife from crossing it, right?”

“That’s right. Did you see something?”

Junmyeon shifted in his seat. “It’s probably nothing,” Junmyeon said softly, “But there was a red butterfly, right on the other side.”

“A red butterfly?” Master Kim echoed.

“It reminded me of The General of the Red Forces,” Junmyeon said after a moment. “I was probably just being paranoid.”

Master Kim ignored him. “Could it cross over the barrier?”

“It had stopped right at the barrier when I left.” Junmyeon picked at his food as Master Kim sat silently for several minutes.

“Not much to be done about it,” Master Kim said at last. “I would refrain from going so close to the edge from now on.”

“Understood.” Junmyeon pushed down the irritation that rose up in him and bowed his head in obedience.

Master Kim began humming a folk song under his breath, and they want back to their usual quiet demeanor. Junmyeon got up from the table and began cleaning up while Master Kim went to sit out in the front.

The red butterfly reminded Junmyeon of other feelings he’d been ignoring for a while now. A steady ache throbbed in his heart as Junmyeon briefly thought of Yifan. So far, Yifan hadn’t sought him out, and Junmyeon was glad. Master Kim would probably kill him on the spot if he dared to cross the wards.

Junmyeon had to wonder. It had been so long since they’d last seen each other. When Master Kim deemed him ready to go back out into the world, would Yifan still love him? Junmyeon wouldn’t blame him if he moved on. Junmyeon was all alone, left to ruminate on his thoughts and studies, but Yifan was probably being deployed on countless missions for the Red Forces and meeting all kinds of people.

Junmyeon sighed deeply and shook his head, pushing those dark thoughts away. He was here to learn, and he should stay focused. Junmyeon ignored the ache in his heart and continued to clean, letting the mechanical motions of his body soothe his mind back to serenity.

Two weeks later, Junmyeon’s instincts proved correct. He and Master Kim stood in front of the pool of water again.

“The next step is for you to freeze the entire pool.” Master Kim lifted his hands, drew his left foot back and pushed his arms out towards the pool. In a flash, the entire pool had frozen solid, and Junmyeon cautiously rapped his knuckles against the ice, wincing and withdrawing his hand.

“Junmyeon.” Master Kim surveyed him seriously. “This is the very last thing I have to teach you. Once you master this, there is nothing more I have to offer you.”

Junmyeon nodded in acknowledgement. He didn’t feel ready to do anything. Every day, he felt like he was discovering a new facet of his powers that he hadn’t understood before, but if Master Kim couldn’t take him any further, then that was that. If he was being honest with himself, Junmyeon was looking forward to spending time with his powers, looking within himself and maybe even developing new techniques.

“I expected more of a reaction,” Master Kim said dryly. “A few tears maybe. A thoughtful speech about how much you’ve learned?”

Junmyeon laughed. “They’ll come soon enough.” He lifted his hands towards the pool and melted all of the ice easily, the solid surface going back to a glassy fluid. “I’ve been feeling too cooped up here anyways. You must have noticed.”

“Yes.” Master Kim absently tugged at his beard as he gazed up at the sky. “That red butterfly you saw is concerning. It will soon be time for us to take our leave from this place.”

“Does that mean that the Red Forces have found us?”

“We would be under a full-bodied attack if they’d found us.” Master Kim turned and walked to the edge of the training area. “It only means that they will find us soon.”

“Hm.” Junmyeon tilted his head, studying the water and trying to figure out how to manipulate his water to make it become solid. He already had seven different ideas turning around in his mind. “What will you do when we’re finished here?”

“I will go back to The Academy. It has always been my home, and I’m sure Headmaster Cho could stand to have another advisor,” Master Kim chuckled.

“Headmaster Cho?” Junmyeon echoed, his mind only half on the conversation. “You promoted him?”

“I knew we would be gone for a long time. Besides, I’m aging, and Cho deserves to be rewarded for all of his efforts thus far.” Master Kim lay down and propped his hands up on his head. “I’ll be over here. Tell me when you want help.”

“Okay.” Junmyeon bit his lip and began running through his first idea as Master Kim watched from the side.

When the day was finished, Junmyeon had made a little progress on the pool, and he went for a walk through the woods to clear his mind. He’d asked Master Kim what his plans were after they finished, but Junmyeon knew that he should also think on his own plans.

There were many roads before him. He could try going back into the military, although they probably wouldn’t send him on any risky missions. He could go visit his family who had fled the warzone and gone deeper into the mountains. He could even meet up with his friends and spend some time with each of them, if he really wanted to. Baekhyun’s adventures sounded tempting, but Junmyeon also knew that he was probably exaggerating them a little bit.

He briefly entertained the idea of going to try and find Yifan. That would mean heading back towards the warzone, which the military probably wouldn’t condone. Besides, what would he gain from seeking Yifan out? Yifan had made it clear that he was on the Red Forces side, even if he did love him.

Junmyeon scowled. This was such a dangerous line of thinking—who knows what would happen to him if anyone in the military found out that he had a soft spot, much less feelings, for Yifan? He would be dead within minutes of the discovery, if not worse. For all he knew, they had already discovered, back when they’d interrogated him about his stay in the Red Fortress. Master Kim had had them perform the techniques on him while he slept, so he wouldn’t have been able to hide much.

Junmyeon shivered and paused, staring out towards the barriers. He could see the trunk of one of the barriers through a gap in the thicket, and it was so tempting to go out to it and rest his palm against it, attuning himself to the steady energy of the forest.

Junmyeon took a step forward, and paused. There was a spot of red near the edge—and another, and another. Junmyeon frowned and stared very still, peering towards the barrier. They looked like flowers…

Junmyeon quietly backed away and went back towards the training compound. They hadn’t made it past the barriers yet, but he got the feeling he wouldn’t have much more time to finish his training.

Junmyeon threw himself into the training, determined to master the art of creating ice before the barrier was completely surrounded by red. Master Kim pushed him, urgency becoming clearer as the days passed, and Junmyeon knew that he was fully aware of the red threat starting to encircle them.

On the sixth day, Junmyeon mastered it. The pool had become a solid chunk of ice, and Master Kim beamed at him proudly.

“Well done, Junmyeon.” Master Kim pulled him forward into a hug. “I’m so proud of you.”

Junmyeon smiled hesitantly, and broke the hug after a moment. “Really?”

“Really,” Master Kim said kindly. “I’ve had many students over the years, and none of them were quite like you.”

“Thank you.” Junmyeon bowed his head respectfully, his heart swimming with emotion. Master Kim was usually stingy with his praise.

“However, I will warn you—you’ll never have fine control over the ice like your friend, Minseok. You’ll only be able to work with relatively large quantities—it takes a great strain on our magical energy to form the ice, as I’m sure you’ve felt.”

“I understand.” Junmyeon wasn’t too surprised. It had been difficult to figure out how to manipulate his energy in just the right way, and it had been utterly draining. With the entire pool frozen, Junmyeon wasn’t sure he had the energy left to unfreeze the pool. 

“Let us have one last meal together tonight. We will leave, and then part ways in the morning.”

Junmyeon bowed respectfully, his mind drifting towards the specks of red he’d seen multiplying outside of the barriers. If Master Kim thought he could last one more night, then Junmyeon would trust him.

The next morning, Junmyeon woke up early and packed his belongings. He had brought nothing with him, and he would take little with him. He ducked out of the small hut that had been his life for the past year, and saw that Master Kim was waiting for him on the front porch.

Master Kim was staring out at the training arena spread out in front of them. “You know, this was my ancestral home.”

“I know,” Junmyeon admitted. “I asked about it down in the village.”

“I see.” Master Kim looked contemplative. “It was good to be home. But now, it is time for us to leave.”

“Yes.” Junmyeon shifted uneasily. “The red butterflies…”

“We’ll deal with them.” Master Kim shifted his stance. “Come.”

Together, they walked out to one of the barrier trees. There were red flowers and red butterflies fluttering around the tree, the red nearly overpowering the green in the faint light.

“Watch.” Master Kim lifted his hand to the barrier seal and closed his eyes. Junmyeon felt a huge surge of energy, and a great wind blew through the forest, scattering the butterflies to the wind and blowing the petals off of the red flowers in a great flare of scarlet.

Junmyeon stared. “How…?”

“There is a seals master who lives in the capitol. I can send you there, if you wish. I have already told her you might come.” Master Kim stepped out of the barrier, and Junmyeon hesitantly followed suit. When they weren’t attacked on sight, Junmyeon relaxed.

“Give me her address. I was going to visit my family first, and then decide where to go next.”

Master Kim passed him a slip of paper, and they continued to the mountain in silence. Junmyeon contemplated all of the things he had learned about his powers, and himself. The time here had been lonely, but well worth the cost.

After several hours, they reached the gates of the village.

“Master Kim.” Junmyeon knelt down to the ground and pressed his head down to the ground before Master Kim’s feet. “Thank you for everything.”

Master Kim helped him back up to his feet and tenderly touched Junmyeon’s forehead. “There is no need for thanks.”

Junmyeon nodded, and held back the tears that suddenly began to sting in his eyes.

“You’ll see me again. Probably sooner than you expect,” Master Kim said gently, and Junmyeon nodded, rubbing embarrassedly at his eyes.

“I’ll see you soon, then?”

Master Kim raised his hand in farewell and blessing, and Junmyeon turned away from the village gates and continued along the path. Master Kim would stay here at the village, but Junmyeon wanted to make it to the city and see if any buses or trains would take him towards his home town. Besides, Master Kim had dispelled all over those red butterflies, but Junmyeon wasn’t sure how long it would be before they would start accumulating around him once more.

Three days later, after several train rides, nights in homely inns, and hikes across flourishing fields and hillsides, Junmyeon set foot in his hometown. He gazed around at the familiar alleyways and shop fronts, and smiled a little when he saw the post office. He considered opening his pack and mailing the letters to his friends straight away, but he forced himself to walk past. He could mail the letters later tonight, after he reunited with his family.

Junmyeon gazed dispassionately at the small grey house with its mauve door and shiny doorknob. There was a bike parked in the side yard, and Junmyeon extended his magic towards the house unthinkingly, checking for presences within.

He felt two bodies—a man and a woman, seated within the house. Junmyeon took a deep breath, wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, and rang the doorbell. After a moment, there was a sound within, and suddenly the door swung open to reveal a short, kindly faced woman.

“Ma.” Junmyeon smiled down at her. “I’m home.”

“Junmyeon.” She threw her arms around him, and Junmyeon hugged her back. It had been three years since he’d been home, and he missed his parents dearly.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t let you know sooner.” Junmyeon released her and went over to his dad. “Did you get my letters?”

“Letters?” Junmyeon’s mother repeated, looking confused.

Junmyeon felt a chill run down his spine. “When was the last time you got a letter from me?”

“A couple of years ago, right before you graduated from The Academy.” Junmyeon’s mother frowned. “Had you sent us more?”

“Yes,” Junmyeon said earnestly, releasing his father. “I did! But, I guess…”

“Don’t worry, Junmyeon.” His father patted his back. “Your mother and I understand these things very well.” Junmyeon sighed, and knew that his father was right—after all, his father worked in communications while his mother worked in the intelligence divisions of the army.

“I wrote to my friends,” Junmyeon said, feeling upset. “I wonder if they ever got those letters.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Junmyeon’s mother gave him a sympathetic look. “Come, let me make some food for you. It’s been so long since you’ve been home.”

“Okay.” Junmyeon hoisted his bags up over his shoulder. “Is my room still the same?”

“Yes dear.” Junmyeon’s parents drifted into the kitchen while Junmyeon went to the back of the house.

The incident with the letters cemented Junmyeon’s next course of action in his mind. He wondered if any of his letters had made it to his friends, as clearly, none of his letters had made it home. He began to question whether the military had gone through all of his correspondence, and how much of it had been destroyed. He would spend a few days here, and then he would set off to meet up with all of his friends one-by-one.

Junmyeon set his bag down on his bed and took out the stack of letters that he’d kept. He began rifling through them, skimming them over for locations.

It seemed like Baekhyun was the closest one to him, having been in Green Meadows last month. Junmyeon folded the letters and put them away.

Junmyeon’s mother called out to him from the kitchen, and Junmyeon got to his feet. He would enjoy his time with his family while he could, and then he would be on his way.

A week later, and Junmyeon found himself dozing off on a bus heading off to Green Meadows. He doubted that Baekhyun was still in town, but he could ask around and see if anyone had remembered where he’d gone. Baekhyun’s personality was so bright and memorable, Junmyeon didn’t doubt that he would find his friend by the end of the week.

Junmyeon was the only passenger on the bus, but he kept his bag firmly tucked between his legs as the bus bumped and jolted over dusty roads. Junmyeon had always thought that Green Meadows was a fairly popular location, famous for its fair weather and booming honey business, but Junmyeon supposed that there were always lulls in travel no matter where one went.

Junmyeon woke up to find the bus driver gently shaking his shoulder. “Sir?”

“Yes!” Junmyeon sat bolt upright in his seat, brushing the driver’s hand off of his shoulder.

“We’re here, sir. Welcome to Green Meadows.”

Junmyeon glanced outside and saw that they were parked out on the edge of town. “Thanks.” Junmyeon got to his feet and slung his pack over his back. He got out of the bus, and then hesitated, glancing back at the bus driver. The journey had been inconspicuous, but Junmyeon couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Why had he been the only person on the bus? Why were they parked on the edge of town, rather than at a bus depot like the one they’d left from?

Junmyeon jumped out of the way just in time to avoid a dagger hurled from behind him. Junmyeon drew his own knife and spun on his heel, desperately searching for a source of water nearby, and took off into the trees.

More weapons rained down on him from above as Junmyeon jumped from side-to-side, desperately dodging the weapons. He could feel a river running a little farther into the forest, and if he could just make a little farther…

A figure in a red cloak dropped out of the trees in front of him, and Junmyeon skidded to a halt.

“What do you want?” Junmyeon asked warily, extending his magic and sensing the bus driver running towards them through the trees.

The red figure didn’t respond, and simply jumped towards Junmyeon, its arm extended over its head.

Junmyeon moved to the side at the last second, and the figure crashed into the tree right behind him. Junmyeon started running again, trying to go faster as he felt the bus driver starting to close in on him. They were so close to the river. In fact, if he wanted to…

Junmyeon burst out of the trees and stopped dead when he saw the five red-cloaked figures on the other side of the riverbank. Junmyeon hesitated.

The bus driver came out of the trees behind him, and Junmyeon instinctively molded the water in the plants behind them, dragging the man down and freezing the plant stems over him in a matter of seconds.

“We were told he was a water user.” A female voice came from the red figure in the center of the group.

“Water is in everything around us.” Junmyeon lifted his hand and extended it towards her. “It simply depends on your perspective.”

Rather than manipulating the water within the woman’s body, Junmyeon lifted the entirety of the stream out of its bed, the water rushing over an invisible arc in the air.

Junmyeon waited.

After a few moments, the woman relented. “Retreat,” she said quietly, and the five of them leapt backwards into the woods. Junmyeon extended his senses and felt them vanish, including the one who’d crashed into the trees.

Junmyeon walked over to the bus driver, who was thrashing weakly against his bonds. His body heat was melting the ice, but slowly.

“What connection do you have with the Red Forces?” Junmyeon pulled his knife out of its sheath. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I have no connection!” The man looked terrified. “They offered me money to help them and I did! Please don’t hurt me!”

Junmyeon stared down at the man for a moment. “Hm.” He tapped the hilt of his dagger idly. “Where are the keys to your bus?”

“I left them in the ignition. They told me it’d be a quick job.” The man was sweating profusely, and Junmyeon could see the ice around his neck starting to dissolve more rapidly. The plant stems were crisscrossed over the man’s entire body in a soggy, messy heap. It would take him a while to disentangle himself, even after the ice had melted.

“Why did you run after us?” Junmyeon asked. “I imagine your job was only to get me here, out in the open.”

“No.” The bus driver grimaced. “They told me that the six of them were going to distract you, and that I should come up from behind and knock you out.”

“Knock me out?” Junmyeon repeated. That would be oddly soft for the Red Forces. “Did they give you a weapon to strike the blow with?”

“No.”

“Hm.” Junmyeon frowned. “Well. You’ll find your bus parked in town. I’ll try not to bang it up too much.”

“What?” The bus driver began struggling again. “Let me go!”

“Listen up,” Junmyeon said roughly, and to his amazement, the driver froze on the ground. “I don’t take kindly to attempts on my life. Things won’t go so well for you the next time we see each other.” Junmyeon his heel and jogged off into the woods. He wasn’t sure how long it would take for the man to free himself from the weeds, and Junmyeon was too impatient to get to town. He’d taken a few lessons on driving back in the military, and he should be able to handle the bus pretty decently. He’d leave the bus in town and start asking questions about Baekhyun.

Junmyeon climbed into the bus and was mildly relieved to see that the keys were in the ignition, just as the man had said. Junmyeon yanked the door shut, dropped into the driver’s seat, and pulled onto the road.

He quickly realized that he had no idea where he was going. He saw a field full of parked cars, and decided to just leave the bus there. The town was small, so the driver would find his bus eventually.

Junmyeon carefully eased the bus onto a piece of open grass, killed the ignition, and left the bus with his bag, whistling a merry tune. He loved the rush of power he got when he used his magic, and he was getting a nice endorphin high from all that running and battling.

Junmyeon also felt relieved. When he realized that it was a group of six attacking him, he’d been so afraid that it would be Yifan and his team out to get him. Junmyeon knew that he’d have to be on the lookout now—the sooner he found Baekhyun, the better.

To Junmyeon’s amazement, Baekhyun was still in town. After about half an hour of questioning, getting lost and finding his way again, Junmyeon walked into a bar and instantly spotted Baekhyun.

Baekhyun was laughing, chatting it up with a young woman in a back corner of the bar. Junmyeon hesitated—he didn’t want to spoil whatever kind of moment Baekhyun was having with the girl.

A moment later, Baekhyun looked up and they made eye contact. Baekhyun’s mouth dropped for a moment, and then he waved vigorously at Junmyeon to come over.

Junmyeon couldn’t help but feel a little pleased at Baekhyun’s enthusiasm. He hadn’t seen his friend in over a year, and he had been a little worried that Baekhyun would choose to finish his time with the girl before talking to him.

“Junmyeon!” Baekhyun got to his feet and pulled Junmyeon into a fierce hug. “I can’t believe it’s you!”

“It’s me,” Junmyeon said smiling, hugging Baekhyun back just as tightly. “I was looking for you.”

“You were?” Baekhyun sounded puzzled, and drew back. “Are you on break from your training or something?”

“Master Kim taught me all he could.” Junmyeon let go of Baekhyun’s waist and stepped back to greet Baekhyun’s partner. “Hello—General Taeyeon!” Junmyeon almost snapped into a salute, but Baekhyun caught his wrist at the last second.

“I’m off duty, Suho.” Taeyeon smiled at him, and Junmyeon felt a wave of shock. She looked much younger and carefree than the last time he’d seen her—there were no bags under her eyes, her hair was loose around her shoulders, and there was a gleam in her eye that hadn’t been there two years ago.

“You’re looking well,” Junmyeon said after a moment. “I…I have to admit, I didn’t recognize you from the entrance.”

“It took me a few moments to recognize you as well.” Taeyeon stared at him for a moment. “There’s something…different about you.”

Baekhyun patted his shoulder, and Junmyeon realized that he’d pulled up a chair for him. Junmyeon sank down into it gratefully. “What do you mean?”

Taeyeon shrugged and took a sip of her drink. “You seem different. That’s all.”

“Huh.” Junmyeon turned to Baekhyun. “So, what’ve you been up to? You wrote from here last month, and I thought you would’ve moved on.”

“I was all set to pack my bags and go to the next town, but Taeyeon wrote me and told me she’d be here this week, so I stayed.”

“How lucky for me.” Junmyeon smiled in relief. “Have you been doing well?”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun waved his hand dismissively. “You’ve been getting my letters—it’s been very relaxing, just traveling around and not having to worry about the army.”

“Right.” Junmyeon felt a pang of doubt. Would Baekhyun want to come with him at all? Junmyeon had left Master Kim for barely two weeks and he’d already been attacked. Maybe Baekhyun would want to continue his civilian life—and Junmyeon certainly wouldn’t blame him.

“So what’re you up to? I had my bets hedged that you would be off training for at least another two years.” Baekhyun tipped his drink back, and Junmyeon shook his head.

“It wasn’t safe to stay where I was any longer.” Junmyeon sighed heavily. “I would have liked to spend more time there, though.”

“Really?” Baekhyun set his glass down to the table and turned to Taeyeon. “Another drink?”

“No, thank you.” Taeyeon got to her feet. “Actually, I should get going.”

“I hope I wasn’t disturbing you two.” Junmyeon got to his feet as well. “I can always catch up with Baekhyun another time.”

“No, no.” She put a firm hand on his shoulder. “I have to catch an early train out of here tomorrow. It was good to see you again, Suho.”

“Likewise.” Junmyeon patted her hand gently. “We can walk you to where you’re staying, if you’d like?”

Taeyeon laughed. “I can handle myself.”

“Very well.” Junmyeon waited for Baekhyun to get to his feet and give Taeyeon a quick hug. “Be careful on your way back. I was…well, I was followed here. I’m not sure if I took care of them completely.”

“I see.” Taeyeon didn’t look fazed. “Thanks for the warning. Have a good night, boys.”

They waved, and she left the bar.

“You were followed here?” Baekhyun gave him a troubled look. “Are you alright?”

“Yes.” Junmyeon sighed heavily. “It was annoying though.”

“Hm.” Baekhyun hummed quietly. “So, what are you up to now? If you’ve finished training with Master Kim.”

“Well I wanted to see all of you again.” Junmyeon settled his elbows onto the counter and signaled the bartender for two glasses of water. He handed one to Baekhyun, and took a sip of his own before responding. “Then I think I’ll make my way to the capitol. Master Kim suggested I go there to learn about seals.”

“I see.” Baekhyun obediently drank his water, and Junmyeon felt a pang of nostalgia back to their army days, when they’d all gotten drunk for the first time, and Junmyeon had given Baekhyun a glass of water.

“I was wondering if you want to come with me.” Junmyeon raised tapped his fingers against the counter. “If you’re not up to much else these days…”

“It would be nice to see the others again,” Baekhyun admitted. “But…what’s the point? The military won’t take us back again, we’d be too large of a target if we all grouped up in one place. They might even put a stop to our reunion.”

Junmyeon scoffed. “I doubt they care that much about us these days. We’ve kept our heads down and disbanded as they asked for a year. The Red Forces wouldn’t view us as much of a target if we aren’t doing anything for the military.”

“That’s true.” Baekhyun gazed thoughtfully into the darkness of the bar, and Junmyeon relaxed in his seat.

“I will have to warn you, it might not be an easy journey.” Junmyeon took another sip of water. “I was attacked on my way into town.”

“Really?” Baekhyun looked shocked. “By who?”

“They were wearing the uniform of the Red Forces,” Junmyeon said softly. “There was something odd about the encounter though.”

“Who would…who would masquerade as the Red Forces though?” Baekhyun asked bewilderedly. “That’s sure to draw the attention and wrath of the government on anyone’s head.”

Junmyeon shrugged. “They were too gentle for the Red Forces. I’m not sure who or what they were, but there are dangers out there.”

“I see.” Baekhyun sighed and pushed his glass away. He began rummaging around in his pockets, and let out a noise of triumph when he found his wallet. “Well, did you really think a bit of danger would stop me?”

Junmyeon smiled in relief. “I wasn’t sure. You seemed like you were really enjoying relaxing…”

“Well, it’s not as if we’re going on a mission again. And I really do miss the others.” Baekhyun laid some change on the bar and smiled at Junmyeon.

Junmyeon nodded. “Where are you staying?” he got to his feet, and Baekhyun followed suit.

“I’ve got a room in an inn nearby.” Baekhyun slung his arm around Junmyeon’s shoulders as they left the bar. “When should I be ready to take off?”

“As soon as possible.” Junmyeon leaned into Baekhyun’s side. “I’m nervous about staying in one place for too long.”

“Sounds good.” Baekhyun yawned, and together, they ambled off through the town until they reached an inn. Baekhyun pulled his keys out of his pocket and let them into his room. Baekhyun dragged Junmyeon onto the bed and curled up beside him. “Sleep,” he slurred out.

Junmyeon smiled and relaxed into the warmth of Baekhyun’s side. He drifted off to sleep as Baekhyun his head, relishing in the feeling of falling asleep beside his brother.

The next morning, Junmyeon woke up and rubbed at his eyes. He’d slept fitfully, waking up at every little creak or noise from outside. His dreams had been odd too—a figure in a black cloak had loomed over his bedside, but when Junmyeon reached up to pull the hood away from their face, the figure vanished.

“Good morning!” Baekhyun chirped. Junmyeon sat up and looked down at the floor where Baekhyun was busily placing his belongings in a backpack. “How’re you feeling?”

“Good,” Junmyeon yawned. “Still tired. I had the oddest dreams…”

“Yeah, me too.” Baekhyun continued to pack at a calm pace, but his brow was furrowed. “I think we should leave right away.”

“Your dreams disturbed you that much?” Junmyeon frowned and got off of the bed, wandering over to a mirror and starting to comb through his hair with his fingers.

“That, and a very tired man came into the inn asking if anyone had seen you around town. Luckily, I was there and vehemently denied your presence, but we should get going.” Baekhyun gave Junmyeon a piercing look. “He said you stole his bus?”

“He helped the Red Forces attack me on my trip over.” Junmyeon shrugged and finished fixing his hair. He began straightening out his clothes, wrinkling his nose at his faintly sweaty smell. “I didn’t hurt him, and his bus is in town somewhere.”

“You really have changed. Junmyeon in his Academy days would never have even dreamed of stealing a bus.” Baekhyun shook his head and stood up, slinging his pack on his shoulders. “I can already tell, our adventure is going to be exciting.”

“Hm.” Junmyeon straightened himself out. “Shall we go now?”

“Yeah.”

“What if the bus driver is still hanging around?”

“I have a car we can drive out of here in.”

“You have a car?” Junmyeon echoed. “Since when?”

“I bought it last year.” Baekhyun grinned proudly as they went down the back staircase of the inn. “It’s my pride and joy.”

“Alright, well let’s get going.” Junmyeon got to his feet and picked up his pack. “Lead the way.”

They loaded their things into Baekhyun’s small car and drove out of town. Junmyeon could’ve sworn that they passed the bus driver at an intersection, but then Baekhyun was speeding off onto the road out of town.

Junmyeon relaxed in his seat and turned his head to face the countryside. He actually wasn’t sure how the military would feel about all six of them reuniting again—he’d just bluffed for Baekhyun. Hopefully, though, things would go as planned. Junmyeon had been starved of the company and attentions of his brothers for far too long.

A few weeks later, Junmyeon found himself in the backseat of the car with Minseok. Jongin had laid claim to the front seat as Baekhyun drove. It had taken a while—a solid week of driving had gotten them to Minseok, but then they’d had to drive halfway across the country to get back to Jongin. That had taken longer than any of them had anticipated, and they’d also done a little sight-seeing along the way. It had now been a month and a half since Junmyeon had left Master Kim’s ancestral home.

Junmyeon was relieved to hear that Minseok and Baekhyun had both received all of his letters, and in turn, he’d been receiving all of theirs. It seemed like their reunion really might fly under the military’s radar.

Jongin had offered to teleport them to the capitol, where Kyungsoo was working at a construction site and Yixing was working in a research hospital. Baekhyun had protested though, insisting that they take the car with them.

“You guys, I worked really hard for this car,” Baekhyun had whined. “I don’t want to just leave it somewhere.”

“Is there somewhere we could leave it at?” Irritation showed in Jongin’s face. “There is literally no reason for us to have a car now that I’m here.”

“Jongin, the car isn’t replacing you in anyway,” Junmyeon had said gently. “It’s important to Baekhyun. Let’s just keep it.”

Jongin’s face had softened at that, and he’d begrudgingly agreed.

Junmyeon pulled his head out of thoughts of the past and looked over at Minseok, who was staring at him.

“What is it?” Junmyeon leaned his cheek against the rough material of the car seat.

“You’re different,” Minseok said after a moment.

“Everyone’s been saying that.” Junmyeon snorted and shifted his legs around. “You go spend two years on a mountain with a crazy old man and come out unchanged.”

Baekhyun laughed at that. “You and Headmaster Kim got close then?”

“Yeah.” Junmyeon smiled. “We were totally isolated, so…”

“If we were still at the Academy, I think I would’ve fainted on the spot if I heard anyone call Headmaster Kim a ‘crazy old man’,” Minseok said after a moment.

Junmyeon smiled and shrug. “I probably would have too.”

“I’m telling you, something’s changed.” Minseok eyed him closely.

“I just agreed with you,” Junmyeon pointed out. “Of course I’ve changed.”

“Hm.” Minseok gave him a look.

“Is this really the time to start grilling me about what I’ve been up to for the past two years?” Junmyeon peered up at the front seat. “Jongin’s asleep. We shouldn’t wake him.”

Minseok rolled his eyes. “Yes, we shouldn’t wake him. In fact, maybe this should wait until all six of us are together again.” Minseok poked him in the shoulder. “I’m not letting you off that easy.”

Junmyeon gave Minseok a sleepy smile. “Okay.” He yawned and batted at Minseok’s hand.

“I still find it hard to believe that Jongin’s family runs a bakery,” Baekhyun piped up from the front seat. “Or that Jongin designed their logo himself. It’s too cute!”

“Well, Jongin used to doodle all over his notebooks in class,” Junmyeon said, amused. “And he did tell us when his sister started culinary school.”

“It just seems too wholesome,” Baekhyun declared.

“Jongin is a generally wholesome person,” Minseok snorted. “Don’t be so surprised.”

“I’m excited to meet up with Kyungsoo and Yixing.” Junmyeon smiled at the thought. “We’ll have to find a place for the four of us to crash though, since Kyungsoo and Yixing have real jobs.”

“It shouldn’t be too hard,” Minseok commented. “We should all have some money saved up.”

“Yeah.” Junmyeon stared at the countryside rushing past in the darkness. His parents had (very kindly) kept some money in his bank account, and his payments from the military had been accruing interest over the past few years, but he should really pick up a job sometime soon. “Master Kim told me to go to a seals master in the capitol.”

“A seals master?” Minseok blinked in surprise. “I guess you did study seals quite a bit.”

“It should be useful,” Junmyeon agreed. “There was some weird stuff happening right before I left.”

“Weird stuff?” Minseok echoed.

“You know, the red butterflies.” Junmyeon snuggled down into his seat.

“Red butterflies?” Minseok echoed, sounding confused.

Junmyeon paused. Hadn’t he told them all about the butterflies? Maybe it had been a dream. “Right when I was finishing my training, a bunch of red butterflies took up residence outside of Master Kim’s wards. That’s the main reason I want to go to the seals master, so that I can protect myself if I have to.”

“Were the red butterflies…from the Red Forces?” Minseok asked hesitantly.

“I dunno. It would seem like it, given that they may or may not have ambushed me when I was picking up Baekhyun, but I haven’t seen any sign of them since then.” Junmyeon cracked an eye open to look over at Minseok. “Did I really not say anything?”

“Did you know about this?” Minseok asked Baekhyun.

Baekhyun shook his head. “I knew about the Red Forces following him around right before we met up, but he didn’t say anything about the butterflies.”

“Sorry guys.” Junmyeon frowned, feeling slightly upset at himself. “I could’ve sworn I’d told you. It’s been on my mind so much since I left Master Kim, I guess I just assumed that I’d told you at some point.”

Minseok reached out and ran a soothing hand through his hair. “It’s okay,” he said gently. “We know now. Get some rest.”

“’Mkay.” Junmyeon closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him as they sailed across the countryside.

The next morning, Junmyeon woke up to realize that the car was no longer moving. In fact, he was alone inside of the car.

Junmyeon pushed the door open and stepped out into the cold morning air, stretching his arms over his head. Baekhyun, Minseok and Jongin were crouched outside on the pavement of a relatively empty parking lot.

“How long have you all been awake?” Junmyeon yawned and dropped down beside them.

Jongin fumbled with something in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette after a few moments. Junmyeon raised his eyebrows, but didn’t say anything. They’d all changed over the past two years, and it hadn’t been easy on any of them.

“Not long,” Minseok said after a moment. We just wanted to stretch our legs—we’re almost to Kyungsoo’s place. I wrote him right after you guys told me you’d come to get me, and he sent me back his address.”

“Cool.” Junmyeon shivered a little and frowned. He didn’t like messing around with his core temperature because that could have all kinds of disastrous repercussion with his blood flow, but he could do something with all of the water vapor in the air around them.

He concentrated, and the air around them warmed up to a comfortable temperature.

Jongin, Baekhyun and Minseok stared at him in surprise.

“What?” Junmyeon frowned and let his arms dangle out in front of him. “I was cold. Weren’t you all?”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun was the first to recover. “Thanks, Junmyeon.”

“Anytime.” Junmyeon sighed and let his weight fall further back. “I can’t believe we’re going to all be reunited so soon.”

“Me neither.” Baekhyun shook his head, and waved some of Jongin’s smoke away from his face. “I kind of lost contact with Yixing, but I’ve still been talking to Kyungsoo. He’s been really busy.”

“Hm.” Junmyeon frowned slightly. He wondered how the changes had taken their toll on Kyungsoo and Yixing. Would they be happy to see him?

A flash of red caught Junmyeon’s eye, and he whipped his head around to stare at it.

Junmyeon felt a chill run down his spine when he saw that the parking lot was empty except for them. He could just be paranoid, but there would be no harm in getting a move on.

“Let’s get going,” he said abruptly, rising to his feet. “Baekhyun do you want to switch with anyone?”

“You can barely drive, Junmyeon.” Baekhyun got to his feet, sending a puzzled look towards the corner of the parking lot Junmyeon had been looking at.

“I can take over for you,” Minseok offered. They all clambered back into the car with Baekhyun in the backseat this time and Minseok driving.

“Do you know how to get to Kyungsoo’s place from here?” Junmyeon fastened his seatbelt as Minseok began driving away.

“Jongin, there should be some maps under your seat,” Baekhyun said quickly. He leaned over the front to decipher the map with Baekhyun, and Junmyeon caught Minseok’s eye in the mirror.

Minseok sent him a questioning look, but Junmyeon just shook his head. He wasn’t sure what he’d seen, but he wasn’t going to take his chances with the Red Forces.

To their surprise, both Kyungsoo and Yixing came hurrying out of the small grey house that they’d parked in front of. Junmyeon jumped out of the car, and all six of them shared a warm group hug.

“It’s been so long,” Kyungsoo murmured at last. “I’m glad you guys are all here.”

The others nodded in agreement and followed Kyungsoo into the house. They shared a quick cup of tea, and then they were bustling around again—after all, both Yixing and Kyungsoo had to go to work.

“We’ll give Yixing a lift to the hospital and then find a place to stay at,” Minseok called out from the apartment entrance. “We’ll let Kyungsoo know where we go.”

“Okay.” Junmyeon poked his head out of the kitchen and smiled when he saw the four men crowded in the apartment hallway. It almost felt like it had in the military, when the six of them had been crowded into a tent that was meant for four.

“’Bye guys.” Kyungsoo leaned on his shoulders from behind and waved at the others. Junmyeon watched them go, and tried to quash the sudden feeling of foreboding that overtook him. Minseok would give Kyungsoo’s work a call and let them know where they’d found a place. It would all be fine.

“Remind me the address of the seals master you want to go to?” Kyungsoo withdrew, and Junmyeon pouted slightly at the loss of warmth. Nevertheless, he followed Kyungsoo back into the kitchen, and they sat down at the table. Kyungsoo sipped at a cup of tea as he scribbled down the address Junmyeon gave him.

“I know that neighborhood,” Kyungsoo said after a moment. “Master Kim knows some…interesting people.”

“Is it in a bad part of town?” Junmyeon asked. “If you don’t want to go there, I totally get it.”

“No, it’s not that.” Kyungsoo said quickly. “You’ll see when we get there.”

“Okay.” Junmyeon watched Kyungsoo closely as they lapsed into silence again. Finally, he mustered up the courage to speak his mind. “You must have been lonely.”

Kyungsoo’s head snapped up. A moment later, a wary expression settled in his eyes. “Not more than the others would’ve been,” he said slowly. “Maybe even less. After all, Yixing is with me.”

“But still,” Junmyeon gently pressed. “It must have been difficult.”

Kyungsoo stared at him silently, his eyes slowly warming from their shuttered caution. “You’ve changed,” he said at last.

Junmyeon rolled his eyes internally. How many times were people going to say that to him? “Yeah,” he said aloud. “I have.”

“I can’t tell what exactly has changed though.” Kyungsoo’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “You say the same things. You ask the same questions. You respond to everyone the same. It’s something else.”

Junmyeon stayed quiet, not wanting to break the moment. Maybe, if he just held out a little longer, Kyungsoo would open up to him.

Kyungsoo sighed and looked away. “You know what I’m going to say, and I know how you’ll respond,” he said softly. “I was going to say that I feel like I don’t have anything to complain about because I had Yixing, and you were going to tell me that I shouldn’t invalidate my feelings.”

Junmyeon snorted. “I probably wouldn’t have said it so succinctly. And I probably would’ve thrown something in about how each of us have had different problems in the past couple of years, but yes. You’re right, that’s what I would have said.”

Kyungsoo smiled faintly at that, and Junmyeon tilted his head to the side.

“You’ve been gone for two years, but you still have that same presence.” Kyungsoo shook his head. “I was worried things would be awkward, but we’ve been alone for five minutes and it feels just like it did back in the army.”

“I was worried too,” Junmyeon admitted, tapping the table lightly. “I’m glad you can still think of me in that way.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow. “You still blame yourself for back then?”

“Are you surprised?” Junmyeon stared back evenly. He really hadn’t expected so much soul-baring to happen this early in the morning.

“Hopefully, since we’re all together now, things will change,” Kyungsoo said at last. He gulped down the rest of his tea and got to his feet. “Shall we go?”

“Let’s.” Junmyeon followed him out of the house and to his car, his thoughts drifting. He didn’t see any red in his surroundings, and as Kyungsoo drove away, Junmyeon started to wonder if the flash of red he’d seen earlier had just been a trick of the light.

Kyungsoo pulled to a stop in front of a small brick house. “This is the place.” Kyungsoo patted Junmyeon’s thigh. “I’ll pick you up at six. There’s a park and a small marketplace a few blocks that way.”

“Thanks.” Junmyeon got out of the car. “See you in a bit.”

Kyungsoo drove off, and Junmyeon turned to face the house. He didn’t know anything about this master, and he looked down at the paper Master Kim had given him.

Ailee. No surname. Nothing else to give him a clue. Would she be a wizened old woman? Would she be young? Would she be warm or would she be stern?

Junmyeon walked up to the small brown door and raised his hand to knock. Just as his fingers were about to hit the smooth wood, the door swung open and Junmyeon pulled his hand back.

“Hello.”

Junmyeon blinked in surprise, his hand still back by his face. Before him was a gorgeous woman, her hands folded confidently over her chest. Her head was thrown back, and soft, brown hair fell in a sleek wave down to her shoulders.

The woman laughed. “That reaction never gets old,” she said, smiling in amusement.

Junmyeon blushed dark red and let his hand fall to his side. “Are you Ailee?”

“I am.” She stepped back to let him pass through the door. “You must be Junmyeon. Master Kim told me you might come.”

“Oh good.” Junmyeon politely took his shoes off and followed Ailee through a dark hallway and into a sitting room. The curtains were drawn shut over the window, but the room was well lit with a variety of lamps and tea lights.

“Sit.” Ailee pointed at two floor cushions, and Junmyeon obliged. “Would you like some tea?”

Junmyeon studied her for a moment. He’d just had tea with Kyungsoo, but he got the feeling that she would be offended if he declined. “Only if you’re going to have some,” he said at last.

“Very good, very good,” she said, tapping her nose and winking. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

Junmyeon stared after her, nonplussed. Was she making fun of him?

There was the sound of a kettle whistling and Ailee rummaging around in the distance, and Junmyeon relaxed a tiny bit. Traveling around the countryside had helped relaxed his paranoia of strangers after suddenly being reintroduced to society, but Junmyeon still didn’t trust everyone he met. Even if Master Kim had recommended that he study with Ailee, that didn’t mean that Ailee had his best interests at heart.

Junmyeon gazed around the room. He counted four tall lamps, six short lamps, twelve sets of string lights and a grand total of one hundred and three light bulbs in total. He’d just started moving on to count the number of chains of five-petal silver flowers stretched across the ceiling when Ailee came back in.

“Do you like what I’ve done with the place?” She handed him a steaming cup of tea, and set a small pot of milk and two lumps of sugar in front of him.

Junmyeon poured some milk into his tea but passed over the sugar. He looked around the room again, and tried to figure out what to say. “It’s well lit,” he said at last.

“Master Kim said that he was sure that I’d have an electrical fire within the next three days the last time he visited me,” Ailee said happily. “It’s been a few years since then, though.”

“A few years?” Junmyeon echoed. Ailee didn’t look that much older than him.

“I must say, Master Kim really has a knack for finding talent.” Ailee gave him an approving look, and Junmyeon felt his cheeks heat up at her attention.

“I haven’t even done anything.” Junmyeon took a sip of the tea and hummed in appreciation. “This is really good by the way. Thank you.”

“Of course.” Ailee smiled. “And I don’t need to see you do anything to know you’re good. Your energy is carefully controlled around you with seemingly minimal effort. You’ve already extended your energy throughout the house several times, and I would have barely noticed it if I hadn’t taken the care of placing wards all over the house.”

“Are you afraid of getting robbed?” Junmyeon took another sip of the tea. He wasn’t surprised that Ailee had seals all over the place. What else would a seals master do with their time?

Ailee laughed. “That, and then some.” Ailee took a sip of her own cup of tea. “Master Kim sent you here to learn about seals, no doubt.”

“Yes.” Junmyeon pressed his lips together. “He must have remembered how interested I was in them, back when I was in the Academy.”

“The Academy?” Ailee echoed, looking startled. “How long ago was that?”

Junmyeon hesitated. “Four or so years,” he said slowly. “I think.”

“You’re so young.” Ailee frowned and shook her head. “I never did approve.”

“Didn’t you attend the Academy?” Junmyeon asked.

Ailee threw back her head and laughed. “No, goodness no!”

“Then how did you and Master Kim meet?” Junmyeon asked, frowning.

“The Academy is a very prestigious military school, but it isn’t the only one. Master Kim and I know each other from a long time back.”

Junmyeon blinked. “Were you…classmates?”

Ailee shook her head. “No,” she said simply.

“No?” Junmyeon echoed. Was that it?

“No,” Ailee repeated. “We’ll save that story for another time. I can teach you about seals—Master Kim was vague about the circumstances, but I understand that you’re afraid of being followed.”

“Yes.” Junmyeon lowered his eyes to the ground. He still didn’t know what to think of the Red Forces incident back in Green Meadows.

“I can teach you seals to keep you safe.” Ailee paused, as if thinking to herself, and then nodded with conviction. “Yes. I can also teach you how to use them inconspicuously in your daily life.”

“Really?” Junmyeon blinked. “How much should I pay you?”

“No charge,” Ailee said firmly. “You won’t need long with me anyways. I also suspect that we won’t have too much time together.”

“What do you mean?” Junmyeon set down his teacup, alarm spreading through his chest.

“There’s no immediate danger,” Ailee said quickly. “But…I can’t imagine us having more than two weeks to put everything together.”

“Why?” Junmyeon blinked in confusion. “And how do you know?”

“I know things,” Ailee said dismissively. “I don’t want to tell you too much, but we’ll get started right away. You will come here every day for the next two weeks for five hours each day. You will learn from me, and then we will see what happens.”

“Okay?” Junmyeon half asked, half said. He was terribly confused—why did she seem so urgent? Why did she think they wouldn’t have time? Junmyeon didn’t have any plans to leave the capitol, now that he was reunited with his friends.

“Are you done with your tea?”

“Yes, thank you.” Junmyeon got to his feet. “Can I help you clear things away?”

“That’s sweet, but no thank you.” Ailee got to her feet and picked up their tea cups and pitchers. “Prepare yourself, Junmyeon. I’m a lot less patient than Master Kim.” With that, she swept off into the kitchen, leaving Junmyeon standing in her sitting room with his mouth half open.

After a moment, Junmyeon hesitantly sat down again. He crossed his legs and folded his hands, clearing his mind and sharpening his focus. If he was going to trust that Ailee knew what she was talking about, then he had better prepare himself to learn as quickly and efficiently as he could.

a/n: So we're adding a new mentor figure to the cast! Why does she think they'll only be there for a short time? How does she know so much? What will Junmyeon learn? All those questions will be answered in the next chapter, which I hope to finish writing and posted in about a week and a half. Thanks for enjoying and comments are highly appreciated! (Also, a reunion with Yifan may be in store for the next chapter~)