While in the process of making a stronger cure, something came to my mind and I find it too much of a coincidence to wipe it off.

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Jonghyun’s POV

Target: Yunho. Dress code: Lab cloak. Thoughts: I NEED TO TALK TO JAE! THIS IS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE!

Yeap, I am on mission 2 aka ‘Finding out what are Yunho hyung’s crazy thoughts about’.

I was checking up on Jaeny at the guest room while Yunho hyung hurriedly left the room after having some pretty crazy thoughts. He was screaming his thoughts in his own head it kinda hurt me to read his mind!

I followed Yunho hyung towards Jaejoong hyung’s room. I kept looking around our surroundings while trying to conceal myself well. Because this time, I am not going to let anyone disrupt my mission! Especially not Onew nor Junsu hyung, not after how they spoilt my first mission of the year when I was spying on Taemin and Yoochun hyung. Hehehe, this is so exciting!

There was once I accidentally tripped, but Yunho hyung never even took any notice of it because his mind was so preoccupied with ‘What if her warning is coming true?’, ‘What if Jae’s worries are right?’, ‘Was I wrong to dismiss the threat that she said?’ and so on and so forth. So many questions popping into his head, it is a wonder how his head have yet to burst!

Yunho hyung hurriedly entered Jaejoong hyung’s room when he arrived and closed the door shut tightly. But this will stop no telepath! I stood behind the closed door and could hear some faint voices speaking plus I could still read their minds loud and clear. I looked around to make sure that nobody else was around and smirked to myself, feeling victorious because I know that I will succeed in my mission this time.

“Jae, we need to talk about the attack.”

“I know, Yunho. I know.”

Yunho hyung was thinking about how to start the conversation with all the information and questions he had in mind. I haven’t had a chance to read his mind in a long time because he is always in his lab and I seldom get to see him. Besides, usually his thoughts are really boring about potions formula creations and creatures and what not.

But this time, it is different. His thoughts were with some scary information and I am not sure now if my mission 2 of knowing their thoughts is the right thing to do. I am starting to get fearful just with Yunho hyung’s thoughts. If this is real, we are facing a disaster that I am not sure if we could even manage.

“Don’t you find it too much of a coincidence? What the demon girl warned? Just last week, Junsu reported some missing people. Some trees even dried up because some of the nymphs attached to the tree went missing. And now we have people getting attacked not only in the neighboring towns and villages, but also our town. I am afrai-“

Before Yunho hung could finish his sentences, I heard Jaejoong hyung interrupted him, “Stop. Just stop right there for a moment.”

“…Jae?...”

“I just need a moment Yunho.”

There was silence for a moment. But their thoughts were not all that silent.

Yunho hyung was thinking about what is going on with Jaejoong hyung and if he is alright. But he came to a conclusion that these incidents and what the demon girl had warned have affected Jaejoong hyung too much and that Jaejoong hyung must have also know that these were not just mere coincidences.

Jaejoong hung’s thoughts were slightly different and it makes me scared witless. He was definitely thinking about what the demon girl had said that we will start to find people missing and people will start being attacked. After which comes the death of many he loves and cares about, just like a massacre.

His thoughts then trail off to what his mother had told him, one day he will have to lead the Aristocraters and that he is the eldest, he have to protect every single one of us. He was thinking about how all our powers were not really progressing due to the lack of training and how are we going to protect ourselves and also the people of our town.

He is afraid to lose anyone because he had seen the terrifying creatures that attacked Key and Taemin. They were not as simple as other creatures which he had encountered before. Even Key, who has always been ‘fearless’, fears these creatures. He is terrified by the thought that he could not protect anyone.

His thoughts got even worst when he thought about the amount of people he will have to protect which includes every single one of us and the soulmates that were already identified. It will be too much for him to handle but even if it costs him his life he will have to still do it.

Unknowingly, I felt tears started rolling down my cheek. There was too much emotions going on. Why is Jaejoong hyung keeping so much to himself? When it concerns us all but he is thinking to take care of everything himself. I know he is the eldest, but we could help. This is not only his family, but it is OUR family.

At that moment, I felt sorry that I do not possess any physical powers. But if it is regarding the life and death of my family, I will do anything to prevent anything bad from happening.

“I know what you are trying to say Yunho. I know all these... It all started awhile after we have captured the demon girl.”

“Jae, we should tell the rest what happened.”

“I do not intend to do so.”

“But Jae, they need to know what is coming. We have to warn everyone else to get prepared if something like this is going to happen! We need to make sure we get everyone safe.”

“No, even if the kids and uncles know about this, they won’t be able to get everyone to be safe. Remember how Mom left us in the safe house promising to return and she never did? I do not want them to worry even further. Look at how shaken Key was when we reached home. I could not forget the worried look and grief of others when we were trying to heal some of the people whom were left hurt by the attack at the village. All those damages were devastating to say the least. I want our family to be free of such worries. I want them to not have this burden of fighting and defending. That job belongs to me. I will fight if I have to, I will do everything I can to protect this family, this town and our people.”

“You do not have to face this alone Jae, you have us. We are your family!”

“No Yunho. Just… just stop. I know what I am doing and I know this is for the best.”

Jaejoong hyung is still being stubborn. His thoughts were all about finding a way to stop it by himself if it were to happen. He is even thinking of sacrificing his own life! Just why is Jaejoong hyung doing this!

“But have you thought about how all the others will feel if they only get to know about this too late? Or if they only starts to know after someone’s death? Have you considered my feelings? What about the all of us? What about me? What am I going to do if you get hurt Jae? Have you considered the feelings of the rest of us?”

I started getting a little agitated that Jaejoong hyung was still trying to think of a way to rebut Yunho hyung that I couldn’t care less if I were caught eavesdropping on them. I barged in as if a fire had ignited within me and shouted, “Hyung, I am sorry I was eavesdropping but if I never do it, I wouldn’t have known such terrible things are happening! I demand that you let us all know about this! I will not allow you to face this yourself! If you are not going to say anything, I will announce everything I know to everyone! We are a family hyung, there aren’t supposed to be any secrets! Especially secrets like these which could cost someone’s life!”

A look of shock registered on both of their faces. I felt myself starting to tear again as I continued, “I am scared, hyung. I am really scared. Just like what you said, even our almighty Key is shaken up by what happened. The state that Jaeny is in frightens me that what if it actually happened to anyone else too? But I am even more terrified that you are intending to face all of this alone! I am horrified that you are even thinking of sacrificing yourself instead of letting us fight together! I already lost my mother when she also left me in the safe house with the rest of you, I never get to know her more and I know I can never get her back. But I am not losing anyone else!”

I broke down after finishing everything that I wanted to say. I was terror-struck by all of these information and emotions all coming at once. I do not think I could handle much more.

Without warning, I was enveloped in a warm embrace. I tilted my head up a little to meet Jaejoong hyung’s teary eyes, “Jonghyun-ah, I only wanted what is best for everyone…”

I broke up the hug and pleaded, “Please hyung, you can’t face it alone.”

“Face what alone? Why is it so noisy here, I could hear you guys shouting from over the other stretch,” a familiar warm voice announced his entrance.

Well, if Jaejoong hyung is not going to say anything, I will.

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