Prompt 23: Pretense 2,057 words

The mall has a few shoppers and it is the best time to do a window shopping, and if he spot something he'd desire, he can just impulsively buy it. Money is not an issue,  not many know that he is one of the richest person in the whole world. That is not all, by any standard, he can be considered gorgeously handsome with flawless skin, and a lean mascular built.

Going out incognito looking like anyone who is fashionable, he tries to have a low key profile by wearing a few jewelries, an eyeglasses, a white wide round neck cotton t-shirt covered by mustard yellow ripped in several places long sleeved knitted sweater, ripped black jeans, black boots and a black leather knapsack. His impeccable medium golden blond hair, which is covered by a black baseball cap, has a spectral hues of colors depending on his mood and where the light would hit it. People assumed that it was bleached, but it is natural. He never contradicted their assumption.

For almost three decades, he goes by the name of Kim Jaejoong, but it was not the name he was born with. He had since changed it countless times.  There were so many who helped him, and he can accredit this fit. 

The past:

His parents, who got married  when his father Hee-Bong was only 17 and his mother Ae Ri was only 16 years old, were an ordinary folks. His mother was a docile housewife and his father was a skittish craftsman carpenter. He was the eldest with four siblings, three boys named Hyun Joong, Min-woo, and Karam, and the youngest, a girl named Haru.

Jaejoong, Hyun Joong and Min-woo were each a year apart, and then Karam was born after four years. It was a surprise delight to his family when Haru was born, because there was a ten years gap between her and Karam. Haru, being the youngest and the precious endearing only girl, was the source of joy and happiness of the family.  

Growing up in the countryside, his family were all intelligent and talented, but they could tell how exceptionally brilliant  he was, and they were very proud of him.  He was their pride and joy. He was always cordial to his parents and siblings, who emulated and admired his virtue greatly. 

As he and his siblings grew-up, people recognized and acknowledged the family's talents and many skills, and people came and they were asked to perform tasks for them. With a family members of seven, they were not rich, but with the extra earnings they were able to afford more comfort in life.

As long as he could remember, deep within him an immutable instict told him to always be cautious, and always had to keep his guard up. Also, unbeknownst to him without substantiate reason why, beyond himself, he always had a fervor desire to protect his love ones.

As well as some people could be petty and jealous, and even when he was a child, he heard different subtle whispers and snide remarks, like how such a child like him could be born to a couple like his parents. From then on to dispel their doubts he had to down play his true capabilities, because he knew he was more cable than what people already thought. 

As the years passed, everything was peaceful and harmonious, until he reached the age of 25, as if his time froze for him and from then on he stopped growing old. He felt like a magic spell was cast on him, and his mind was suddenly opened to the supernatural world.  Everything changed from then on. His life, and what he knew of life was never the same again. 

There were times that some entities and supernatural beings would show up near their home to incite trouble. He had the hunch that they could harm his family. He had to fend them off. He had to learn fast to be able to fight these beings. 

As his parents were growing old, and his siblings had families and getting on age, he felt helpless, but he did not have a choice and had to leave them. From a distance, he still had his eyes on them. He was always zealous of his desire of protecting them. He amassed wealth and made different treasure troves, and made contingencies, and hired people and his supernatural friends to keep watch over them for their protection .

There was a drawback to his immortality. He was told that he cannot have any children of his own, and that after every few centuries he would need to sleep for a long time, sometimes it would last for a century. He can do without food and water for a long time.  Although, this is his most vulnerable time even as an immortal.  It's the time when many would wish to cause him harm or worse kill him. He had found mortals named  Woobin, Jong-suk, Jackson, Bambam, Mark, JR, JB, IU, CL, Gummy and Nara, and others like him named Junsu, Yoochun, Changmin, Yunho, Bobby, BI, Ken, Leo, N, Ravi, Hongbin, Hyuk, Ali, Yoona, and Dara who became his underlings and friends, who made a boon with him and were willing to protect him at all costs. They gave him an unasked loyalty. And they would help him find sanctuaries.  He even became friends with some faries named Hyun Woo, Siwan,  So-Hee, and Sarang. 

He never took anything for granted. Through the years, he would sneaked back to their home wearing a disguise for a home visit. Even if they were superstitious and had fear, and find it strange that he never grew old, his family, still in awe of him, received him with open arms. He was grateful. He made sure that his family and extended family members were well taken cared for and well provided.

When supernatural beings were after him, he and his friends fought valiantly and  he was greatly wounded,  during the confrontation they were able to save his three male siblings, and with bravado the boys tried to help him fight in their human capacities. In the mids of the chaos, Joon a supernatural being took Haru with his underlings.  

Upon hearing this news, he left some of his friends, Changmin, Yunho, Bobby, Jackson, Mark, and Ravi  to look after his family, and he lead the others, Junsu, BI, Woobin, Bambam and JB to chase after Joon to fight him to get his sister back, and meanwhile while he was away, during one of the foray of these beings his parents died protecting his brothers. 

Jaejoong and his friends were able to find Joon and able to catch up. There was a battle between the two groups, and though Jaejoong was able to get his sister back, Joon was able to get away. When he and his troops were able to get back with a still shocked Haru in his arms, and in horrifying consternation he saw his three siblings crying holding on to their parents lifeless bodies, who were surrounded by his supernatural and mortal friends, who were still poised ready to fight. 

After a day later, his wounds were gone with no trace of it on his body, but his devout wish for a revenge the injustice of their death became stronger. He had to wear a disguise to be able to attend their burial. He had ineffable pain and imperceptible tears,  as he watched his parents' coffins being lowered to the ground. As he kept his composure and continued to look on, he promised in his parents graves that nothing will deter him from extracting a huge payment. The conniption that he felt would had to be bottled. His life with them was too short,  a ephemeral time he had with them that he cherished. If he lived again  that parallels to this world, he would still want to be their child. 

After that occurrence, with the somber reflection that he was not able to protect his parents vexed him greatly. He then harbored the belief that he must be more meticulous in his preemptive measures, and  became fastidious in equipping himself with effective knowlege and masterful skills to be capable to have a faster reaction and be efficient in protecting his family throughout the coming years. 

There was a time, in a mysterious way, when supernatural beings gathered together, because they all were drawn to the Himalaya on that specific date when the red full moon would be rising. There was an unwritten rule that all would come in peace and not harm anyone.

It was the time when every immortals and supernatural beings really took notice of him. 

Right when the red moon was at its very pick, a lustrous pheonix mystically appeared and flew in the air with shimmering sparkles of light followed its trail. Seven griffins came flying right at the trail of the pheonix and followed its flight. Every being was drawn to the sight that they beheld. The griffins followed the circular flight of the pheonix a few times and then consecutively landed not far from where they were. The pheonix cotinued to fly a few more times, and  when it stopped emitting the shimmering sparkles of lights it started to fly spirally down right on top of them, and spread its wings right on top of Jaejoong and ready to land. 

As the pheonix was right on top of him, the spotlight was on him, and he did not know what to do at first. He wanted to dock, but instead he unconsciously instinctively raised his right arm. He slightly wince in pain as the pheonix digged its claws and perched comfortably on his arm. He looked up at its glistening body and wide spread wings  and how it slowly folded its wings. A salamader appeared on his right foot, crawled up to his leg, and he felt an intense pain as if his leg was burning. He flinched in pain for a few minutes, but the pain disappeared as the salamander disappeared. 

He was the chosen one, an immortal that was given immense unfathomable devine powers. He was given the power to kill and destroy supernatural beings and immortals, and the capacity to destroy the whole world. 

As years became decades to centuries and then to melliniums, there was no escape to his destiny, and he had to live in the world in masquerade with the pretense that he was one of them. He had even gained a reputation among the supernatural beings, even the others knew that they should give a wide berth to him and there are those who even feared him. 

Many had tried many means to harm and kill him, but he had been impervious to all that they had tried to use against him.  Except for his family, relatives and love one, who were his source of strength and pride, were his only weakness that can be used against him.

There were those mortals, superbeings, and immortals alike who were thirsty for wealth and power.  and then there were the insane ones.  

There was a time and one paticular mortal who was a prolific genius but hidden behind his sweet smiles layed a real sadist, and he's named Jiyoung, who's life goal was to catch him for his own selfish reasons,  to be able to tame and 'play' with him. With the help of Joon, he did catch him once, and he went through hell. His imaginative heinous humor held no bound. There were days that he was even lathargic and he even lost consciuosness. 

A battle was raised to free him, and if it were not for his friends, Junsu, Yoochun, Leo, Ken, Hyongbin, Siwan, and Sarang, he would had been locked up in that dungeon for a long time. 

Present day: 

He has long passed the need to acumulate more worldly materials. As time passed, the need to be under the radar became more important. His enemies are still out there, only waiting for their chance. 

He is particularly careful, because he learned to love, someone who grew up to be a lovely, sweet, charming, engaging, and witty fairy, Sarang. And he needs to keep the secret in his heart, no one must find out, not even Sarang herself. 

Writer's Note: This fic is dedicated to Keeper, who has always been my greatest supporter and encourager. *tight huggles, fren* Thank you!

I really tried to write the fantasy story that's been in my head for a long time. This will still be like a capsulized version. I hope, Jaejoong could feel my love by how hard I tried to write this. Probably it has so many errors lol But I am still happy.