Previously on Project X

"It's a gadget. Shapeshifting...it's not his power...it's only a device"

“What’s a checkmate?” “It’s what you say when you win the game”

“We’re not staying here forever, Kai…If we’re too attached then-”

“So you think that being harsh on her would make her happier?”

“In future, yes”

“Whatever man…but we still don’t know how long we’ll be here for…could be years…If you want to keep up the act then be my guest, just don’t drag any of us along”

“It’s ten thirty! We need to get to school!”

---

 

“Where are you going?” Luhan questioned as Xiumin passes him by the building exit. The person being addressed stopped to reply.

“To have some fun” He said before turning to Luhan, “Care to join?” He grinned mischievously.

Luhan glared back, clearly unimpressed. “Kim Minseok-“

“Don’t you dare call me that” Xiumin barked. “You’re lucky Duizhang hasn’t thought of your punishment yet…you’ll be lucky to get a bullet to the head”

“Nice to know that you care about me…but must I remind you and you and I aren’t that different”

“What are you-“

“Don’t touch the girl…” Luhan seethed, “You dare spill a single drop of her blood and it won’t just be me you’ll have to deal with…I mean it” With that, Luhan turns back to walk towards the entrance. 

“You seriously think she can save us?!” Xiumin scoffed in disbelief. “After all we’ve been through…You really think that girl can save us?! Huh?!” Luhan heard, but didn’t reply and carried on walking. Xiumin watched him whilst gritting his teeth.   

 

Despite the fear of being late, you refused to teleport. No matter how convenient it was, you still didn’t like the fact that your ‘person’ was somehow challenging the laws of nature.  No. You were having none of it and therefore dragged the 6 lazy asses all the way to school.

You entered the swimming pool, noticing that the doors were unlocked. However you weren’t welcomed by the stench of chlorine, but instead, an icy draft that sent goosebumps up your arms.

“2 minutes late” Xiumin’s voice echoed across the large room, the super high ceiling creating a certain ambience that you didn’t really like. Everyone turned towards the pool which actually, wasn’t a pool anymore- but an ice rink; thick enough for Xiumin to tread on without fear at that. “Not very punctual, are you?” He said with a smile. If you hadn’t known any better, the smile would have seemed friendly.

Only now had you realized how large the pool actually was. There was barely any space for you and EXO-K to enter without actually stepping on the ice. 

“Well we’re here…” Suho said first, “Care to enlighten us on why?”

“…” Xiumin glared at the group, glancing at each and every one of the members before his gaze fell onto you. “You look curious” He said.

You were slightly confused but tried not to make it obvious. “You could say that” You replied.

Xiumin seemed to like that reply because he smiles, “I won’t beat around the bush then” He said before reaching into his pockets and you noticed the bright neon colour before anything else. He swiftly throws the objects in your direction, but Chanyeol protectively catches them all first.

Tennis balls. Three of them.

“What do you want us to do with these?” D.O questioned.

“Those things are called Tennis balls” Xiumin explained slowly as though he was talking to children. “You probably haven’t figured this out yet, so I’ll drop some info for you. I’ve been in this dimension for almost three years, although it doesn’t seem like much, it feels like we’ve been here a decade”

“…We?” You raised an eyebrow.

“EXO-M” Xiumin answered, to which gained an explosive response.

“Cheats” Sehun scowled.

“Talk about carbon copy” D.O added

“At least we know that they lack creativity” Kai shook his head.

“Guys” Suho glared at them, visually telling them to shut their pie holes. “Continue” he said to Xiumin calmly.

“Just wanted to give you some reference…It’s irritating that you’re always calling us ‘the others’ when we already have a name of our own”

Just when Chanyeol seemed to want to counteract, Suho shot him a death glare and immediately shut up.

“Thanks for the info, now can we just get to it?” Baekhyun sighed.

“Ey~ Don’t be so snappy, games are supposed to be fun” Xiumin grinned, “Other than EXO-M’s powers…I’m sure that you’re already aware that we’re talented in other aspects too. Can you guess what mine is, Ji-Eun shi?” Something about Xiumin saying your name made chills shoot right up your spine. It was like sugar coating a toxic cake with icing and he was giving it to you to eat. It only looks nice when in reality, it’s deadly. 

Everyone glanced at the three tennis balls in Chanyeols hands. The boys then turned to you.

“I’m assuming you’re pretty athletic” You said bluntly.

Xiumin clicked his fingers, “Bingo~” 

Kai scoffed, “This is why you called us here? Some school-ground game?”

Xiumin sighed and suddenly, frost shoots from the frozen pool and onto the surface, freezing Kai’s feet solid. “AH!” 

“Kai!” You urged along with the others as Kai is toppled over in pain. “Wha-what’s wrong?” You panicked, feeling your heart slowly start to race.

“Didn’t you know that it’s rude to interrupt your elders, Jongin-ah? Professor should have taught you better manners than this”

“Xiumin! What did you-” 

“You should never underestimate frost…There’s a reason why they call it Frost Bite you know. With the right amount, it can make you lose all sense of feeling and stop your blood flow. That’s why most people who get caught in avalanches have to get some of their body parts cut off. They lose the feeling and can’t get it back” 

“I’m really starting to hate this bastard” Kai seethed, holding in the pain by gritting at his teeth.

“Don’t worry, I’m on it” Chanyeol crouched down, trapping the tennis balls between his armpits to put his hand out towards Kai’s feet.

But nothing.

The confused Chanyeol tried again with more emphasise, but once again; nothing, Kai was still in pain; his shoes still coated with white frost. The members pinched their eyebrows together when nothing was happening. “What the hek? Hyung, why aren’t my powers working?!” Chanyeol turned to Suho, showing him his hands that didn’t seem to be conjuring up any heat.

Xiumin laughed, seeming totally amused, “Don’t worry, they won’t be gone forever…You really think that EXO-M haven’t done research on you either?”

“What?”

“How was your swim? Hope you didn’t get too cold” 

The members groaned and face-palmed themselves, as though everything had made sense to them now. “I swear when I get my hands on him” D.O growled, mentally drilling holes into Xiumin’s face.

“Bagsy the first punch” Chanyeol added.

Although it was a little ambiguous, somehow you understood. The whole thing, from the very beginning of the day was a plan. The shapeshifter turning into Kai, pushing Chanyeol into the lake, everything was done for a reason. Chanyeol’s ‘fire’ must have been put out for a while because he was under that frozen lake for too long. Now he can’t use his powers as an advantage. 

Xiumin smirked victoriously, “Well? Are we gonna play?”

“Do we have a choice?” You retorted.

“No…Although I must warn you…I’ve made this a lot more interesting than betting a juice box”

“What are you planning?” You said impatiently.

“If you are successful in hitting me with one of those three balls…Then I’ll grant you one wish”

“How generous” Baekhyun murmured in sarcasm. You nudge him in the stomach, but only ended up hurting your wrist when the metal handcuffs dug into your skin.

“But if you are unsuccessful…” His eyes suddenly shifted directly towards you, “Little miss Ji-Eun here has to stay with EXO-M from now on”

You’re eyes widened in shock. That statement struck the members nerves. Their deathly glares only sharpening by the minute.

“What the actual ?” D.O urged.

“He’s delusional” Kai added.

“We’re not handing over Ji-Eun!” Sehun exploded.

Baekhyun suddenly clung to your wrist and pull you closer to him, “What exactly makes you think that we’ll agree?”

Xiumin faked a thinking face, “Well let’s see…how can someone such as me…possibly put a girl and her little friends in danger…Ahhh~ her father maybe?”

Forget racing, you felt your heart wanting to jump out of your throat. Your father? Was he really bringing him into this?

“You wouldn’t dare” Suho replied, his voice usually calm persona completely gone. Along with all the other members, he was fuming.

Xiumin grinned, “Watch me” He started. “Have we got a deal then? If you win, you get a wish. You lose and Ji-Eun is ours” 

“Over my dead body” Baekhyun fumed.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….!!!!

 

 

“BAEKHYUN!”

In a literal blink of the eye, everything was out of place. The members were scattered around the pool, each of them already holding their weapons. You looked down to your wrist, realizing that unlike the past day, no one was beside you anymore.

The chain was broken.

The chain that attached you and Baekhyun together had completely come apart and what more- he was nowhere to be seen. You nervously scanned the pool, left and right. Only did you realize where he was when you realize where everyone was looking. Not again. 

“B-BAEKHYUN!” You screamed about to run into the pool when you felt a pair of arms wrap around your waist to stop you. You glanced back and saw Suho holding you from behind, his face full of scratches. “S-Suho! W-What, what happened? What’s going on?!”

“We can’t explain everything yet, but right now Baekhyun is badly hurt and trapped beneath the ice” Suho winced whilst explaining. Tears started to well in your eyes as you looked at the others. They looked completely drained, panting heavily with cuts and bruises on their bodies…But what’s more- Xiumin looked exactly the same. No cuts, no bruises, he wasn’t even breaking a sweat. What the hek just happened?

“Better think EXO-K…time is ticking now…Are you or are you not agreeing to the deal?”

“We agree” You quickly replied, the members all darted towards you in disapproval.

“Ji-Eun-“ 

“We agreeing!” You repeated as you turned to Kai who was still nailed to the same place as before, only this time, grasping his shoulder in pain.

“Ji-Eun-ah” Chanyeol said quietly, on the verge of tears. You were risking so much just for them. Who knew what would happen if you went with EXO-M

“…Fine…” Suho said, unwillingly. “We just have to hit you with either one of the balls right?”

“Yup…But of course you guys are pretty battered…so I’ll give you a little hint to help you out” He said, pretending to be kind, “There are a number of ways that people have tried to throw the balls. Either A, throw all three so quickly that I don’t have time to react, B, throw all three at the same time or C, one by one…However I must boast, out of the 53 times I’ve played this game, I’ve been able to dodge all 159 balls, not even the fastest pitcher has succeeded…so…either way, it’s a definite checkmate for me” 

Chanyeol suddenly clicked. Checkmate?

“…You need to think ahead the person you’re playing against. Try to read their mind, their next move so that you can get Checkmate”

Biting his bottom lip, Chanyeol glanced over to the three tennis balls that had been scattered across the area. He watched as you and Sehun quickly gathered them.

“Ji-Eun, you don’t have to-“

“Yes I do” You interrupted Kai, “We can win, he can’t be that fast, right”

No one said anything. “…Right?” You tried repeating.

“Ji-Eun, he’s really fast” Sehun said, his voice shaking.

You gulped, feeling a little dizzy. The nerves must have been getting to you.

“Er…Guys?” Chanyeol called in a strangely calm manner. Everyone turned to him. “Is it okay…If you leave this to me?”

“Chanyeol, now isn’t the time for-“

“I want to do it” He said sternly to D.O before turning to you. You noticed a glimmer of determination in his eyes as he stared at you. “I haven’t been very useful today…because my stupid powers won’t work…it would have been so much easier for everyone if I hadn’t fallen in…But, I can do it…” He persuaded, “Trust me?”

You peered down at the tennis balls in your hand and sighed before handing them to him. “I trust you” You said, trying to put on the best smile you could despite the fact that your hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

Chanyeol glanced towards Xiumin with a small smile before turning back to you. “Thanks Ji-Eun-ah” He smiled as he took only one of the tennis balls. “Hey, Xiumin!” Chanyeol hollered out of nowhere. “How about another bet?”

 

Kai stared at the giraffe in disbelief, “He’s lost his marbles”

Chanyeol held out the neon yellow tennis ball in front of him. “This ball. I’ll hit you with THIS ball” He said confidently. “If it works, then we get two wishes!”

Xiumin furrowed his eyebrows. “And if it doesn’t?”

Chanyeol cleared his throat quietly, “We’ll throw in our Aphrodyt”

“Dude!” Sehun urged.

“We’re doomed” D.O face-palmed himself whilst the others jaws just dropped to the floor.

Your eyes accidently fell to the frozen surface and the second you caught sight of red in the water you immediately shut your eyes. To think that Baekhyun was stuck down there, unable to breathe and bleeding.

Kai watched you carefully, your fearful expression tugging at his heart strings. She looks so scared. He thought. He got the urge to just wrap his arms around you, but couldn’t, he couldn’t even feel his feet and he couldn’t stretch far enough anyway. I’m going to cut that when I get out of this. He thought.

You noticed Kai staring at you and turned to him. But this time, he didn’t look away like he usually did. He continued to stare at you, almost with a fascinate look in his eyes. “What?” You said quietly. 

“…Just thinking…whether or not you were this scared when I was in danger too”

You quickly broke eye contact with him before your heart could explode. Too many feelings.

“What’s Chanyeol thinking? Giving away the Aphrodyt like this?” Kai changed the subject.

“He must be confident about something” Suho answered, his eyes nailed onto Chanyeol who stood there, thinking. “Let’s just hope that he can deliver”

Chanyeol and Xiumin glared at each other. “Are you serious? You’re going to use one ball?” Xiumin asked.

Chanyeol nodded, “Yup” He showed Xiumin the one ball in his hand yet again, “This one specifically”

“Impossible”

“Is it?”

Xiumin thought hard about it. Never before had someone used one ball. No one could do it with three, never mind one. But Chanyeol seemed confident. He must have a plan up his sleeve, and Xiumin was having none of it.

There could be multiple reasons for why he proposed such a thing. A: So that Xiumin would focus on that one ball Chanyeol said he was going to throw and one of the other members could throw the other one at him by surprise to catch him out. B: Chanyeol could take advantage of being indoors and use geometry to try and hit him with the tennis ball. Or C: Chanyeol was bluffing. Trying to seem confident when really he didn’t have a single idea what he was doing.

But the later didn’t seem to be the case. He wouldn’t have risked throwing in their precious Aphrodyt if it was a bluff. So it must be either A or B. Must of thought you were smart, huh? Xiumin mentally scoffed. Trying to think ahead and manipulate me. That must have been why Chanyeol looked so confident. He thought he had everything figured out. Trying to provoke him by saying that he’d use one ball. At least now Xiumin knew what to do, he wasn’t going to just focus of the ball Chanyeol had claimed he will throw at him.

He’ll watch Chanyeol specifically. 

“Whenever you’re ready” Xiumin grinned.

After that, everything seemed to go quieter.

Chanyeol stepped onto the ice, knowing that it was thick enough to stand on. Everyone watched diligently, carefully examining what Chanyeol was doing. He bounced the ball on the ice a couple of times, as though he was purposely buying time.

“Don’t tell me he really was bluffing” D.O murmured.

“Let’s trust him…that’s all we can do right now” You said as you watched Chanyeol continue to randomly bounce the tennis ball onto the ice. What is he doing?

When he looked like he was ready he stood there, as though waiting for something.

“Ready yet?” Xiumin pushed.

Chanyeol didn’t reply and finally threw the ball powerfully up into the air.

But Xiumin didn’t move a muscle; he continued to stare at Chanyeol as though he hadn’t done anything yet.

“You didn’t even look at it” Chanyeol said.

Xiumin smirked, “I’m always one step ahead”

Chanyeol smirked back, “Are you now?”

BANG!

“!!!” Xiumin snapped his neck upwards, noticing the tennis ball hurdling towards him the moment it bounced off the roof. Xiumin reflexively stumbled backwards, the ball just about passed him with such power that it went through the ice, revealing the real bright blue chlorine filled pool underneath. But in a matter of seconds, the hole is closed up again. “Ha. I have to say, you took me by surprise…but still, the ball didn’t touch me…you lost”

Chanyeol shook his head, “Nope…I think I’m gonna win” He grinned.

Right behind Xiumin, the neon yellow ball fires from beneath the ice and lightly brushed against his shoulder on its way down.

“Checkmate”

It touched him.

Everyone, including you, was dumbfounded...Well...that was quick. 

“He…He did it?” Sehun asked, not quite understanding what happened.

“He did it” You answered, equally as surprised although a smile came right after. “YOU DID IT!”  You jumped and along with D.O and Sehun, ran onto the ice and hugged him.

“Good one hyung!” 

“You did well” D.O said.

“Impossible” Xiumin couldn’t believe it. “What…How did…”

“Did you forget? I have a friend down there” Chanyeol jerked his head towards the ground.

“That’s still impossible! He’s under water, he’s wounded and freezing! No way could he have-”

“You never established the rules…you never said that we couldn’t use our powers”

“What are you talking about? You can’t use your…” Xiumin finally realized it.

“Forgot that Baekhyun still had telekinesis like the rest of us…? You shouldn’t underestimate us” Chanyeol mocked. “We’ve been together for as long as we can remember…something as simple as this, our teamwork wouldn’t fail us”

Xiumin still couldn’t believe it. He was just outsmarted…and by Chanyeol. By EXO-K.

“Since we win, we get our two wishes right?” You mentioned, “First, let Baekhyun go, the other wish we’ll think of late-”

Xiumin suddenly erupted with laughter. A hysterical laugh that was scary for you to take a step back from him.

“What’s so funny?” Sehun questioned.

The members became alarmed.

“! Guys, step away from the ice!” Kai warned, but none of you could hear him, Xiumin’s laugh was louder.

“It’s amusing how innocent you are” Xiumin said.

You clenched your teeth, “Xiumin. Chanyeol won fair and square, I know it’s hard for you to believe but-“

 “SHUT UP!” He screamed. You stumble back a little, knowing that right now, Xiumin wouldn’t be in the right state of mind. He was fuming. “What would you know, huh? It’s easy for you to laugh, isn’t it?...You wouldn’t understand…the pain we go through each moment of everyday, the fear that eats us alive every night, the innocence that we once had crumbling in our hands and for nothing! For mere life that doesn’t grant us miracles…”

You took a moment to take in what Xiumin was saying and felt a clog at your throat. You might have not fully been able to understand how he felt but…his voice sounded so hurt.

“And fate continues to mock us…for us to be saved by some girl!? After years of fear, you expect us to trust our lives with her?” 

“Xiumin-“ 

“It’s unfortunate, but unlike Luhan, I’m not so much as a good guy” A creepy smirk appeared on his face, “Soz”

CRACK!

“AH!” You let out a high pitched shriek when you felt your body fall through the ice, a piercing cold pain suddenly surrounded you as you were immersed in the water.

“JI-EUN!” The boys cried, their reflexes not fast enough to grab onto you. Xiumin quickly seals the crack in the pool again so that you were trapped under there.  D.O darted to Xiumin and grabs him by the collar. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

“Xiumin!” Suhodarted towards them, his eyes wide with panic, “Cut it out already! We won, what do you think you’re doing?”

“You think I’m just going to go back to Duizhang like this?” He sniggered. 

D.O furrowed his eyebrows. That word again. It was the same one Luhan used that day.

“I lost but at least I can test something out. Let’s see if they’ll still live after this. Let’s just see if that girl can save her own life before saving others!” 

You were in a state of total panic under the water. You vision was completely blurred underwater, all you could see was blue.

Suddenly, you felt someone tug at your arm. You turned around and realized it was Baekhyun. He took his jacket off under the water and wrapped it around his leg, probably to stop the bleeding. He grabbed your shoulders, as if to ask if you were okay.

You weren’t. You haven’t even been under water for a minute and you were already struggling to hold your breath. Not to mention the water painfully cold. You started to understand what Xiumin was saying about losing feeling in your body.

Baekhyun mentally cursed in his head. What was going on up there? How could the others let Ji-Eun fall under as well?

Unlike you, Baekhyun could see very clearly under water and he could see that you were panicking. And seeing you panic made him panic. He held you hand tightly, trying to reassure you that everything was alright although he himself had a racing heart.

 

"Better hurry EXO-K...Father time isn't on your side today" Xiumin chuckled. 

 

You were trying so hard to hold your breath, but you were reaching your limit. Baekhyun noticed and squeezed your hands firmly, telling you ‘just a little longer’, but you couldn’t take it anymore. Baekhyun’s heart practically jumped out of his throat when you started to splutter underwater, you lung filling up with water.  Is this how I’ll die? You wondered, your life flashing before your eyes when suddenly- the warmth you felt on your hands disappeared, you felt something hold you by your face and all of a sudden, something soft planted onto your lips.

…What? 

 

 

------

[A/N: ARGH THAT WAS SO ANNOYING! For some reason, this chapter didn't seem to want to UNrated M itself! There's nothing that extreme in it! I swear! I went through the whole thing for like an hour trying to figure out what to re-write!] Super duper long chapter! Hope it wasn't that confusing. I'm reallyy orry i havent updated this story in AGES. I will try to update more. As always, love you guys so much, comment, upvote, subscribe if you're liking it so far because it really means the world to me <3]