*ortu malum: rising evil

Sehun didn’t notice time has passed. He was frozen in his place, not comprehending what he has done. I just kicked out Baekhyun-hyung. I may never see him again. He breathed in and out.

“You stupid ing piece of trash,” he muttered to himself.

You may not ever see him again.

He jolted awake, mind buzzing with fear. I may not ever see him again. I may not be able to re-collect all of us EXOs.

He forcefully pushed open his door and yanked the key in and bolted shut the lock. His legs were trembling in the thought.

How can you be such a stupid, arrogant , Oh Sehoon?

He ran without direction. He attempted to locate Baekhyun on his mind-channel, but no, it’s blocked. Sehun guessed it must be because Baekhyun blocked him without even knowing it.

Baekhyun-hyung, please don’t be mad, please-

Something appeared on his vision. The butterfly.

“S-Sehun,” a voice whimpered. “S-Sehun, I’m scared-“

“Tao.” Sehun breathed. “Where are you? Why- what happened?”

The line suddenly went dead, and then the butterfly flapped its wings and flew out. Sehun, panicking, trailed after it. The butterfly went faster, and now Sehun was running. How can a butterfly be so fast-?

He continued to run, mind still confused. He was forgetting something, but now, his main focus was Tao. The butterfly went faster, and suddenly, it disappeared behind a cluster of trees.

Blinking his eyes, he walked to it, almost as if he was hypnotized. He carefully pushed the fence open, and then walked straight, disoriented. What the hell is this feeling- why does this place feels so familiar?

The clusters of trees became so thick he can barely see the moonlight. He stumbled on the graves.

Someone oddly familiar was there- it was Tao.

“S-Sehun-?”

“W-what, I don’t understand-“ Sehun stammered, doubt coursing his head. We- we aren’t supposed to be in the same world, aren’t we? W-why is Tao here, why the hell-? He sounds so distant, and yet he’s here-

Minseok bit his lip as the teacher started the lesson. The chilled wind made his whole body rigid. He clenched his fists, praying that this all will be over soon. He can't just skip this lesson and start wailing because of this hallucination. How long has this pain remained-? It has been one week or so already since June 12th. How come that the pain isn't stopping?

"Minseok?"

"Y-yes?" He stammered in Mandarin. Half of the class giggled. His face was flushed. The frosted wind swirled around his body- his own hands started becoming numb.

"You do not seem to look very well," The teacher said, concerned. "You can go to the clinic now. Come back when your problem is solved. I do not want a sick student here in my class."

"Y-yes," Minseok stammered again, embarrassed. He began to collect his things, aware of everyone staring at him. He gulped, packing faster.

His bone shook.

He drew a sharp breath, screwing his eyes shut. Just please let me through this stage just please let me hold the pain in for now-

Finally finishing, he bowed to the teacher and walked hurriedly to the door. His eyes were watering- the wind became boiling- his throat was raspy and his lips was chapped. Finally outside, he slammed the door and collapsed onto the wall.

Please- spare me- he choked, pain bursting on his throat because of how dry it is. The ground shook even harder- his vision was blurring- he can't think straight-

We have finally found you, Xiumin the Frost Master. It will be lovely to have control of you.

He felt his consciousness slipping away- his own body was slipping away from him- and then a smirk grew on his face-

And then, blank.

“Who are you, and why do you look like Sehun?” Tao growled, suspicious, his eyes sharply looking at the stranger. “I’m not going to fall for your tricks. He's not supposed to be in the same world as I am right now.”

“Why-“

“DON’T YOU ING 'WHY' ME!” Tao screamed, forgetting his manners. “WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU IMPERSONATING SEHUN?! ARE YOU PART OF THE EVIL?! WHAT HAVE YOU ING DONE TO HIM?!”

“I’M THE REAL SEHUN, YOU DUMB !” The man screamed, making Tao startled. “I SHOULD BE THE ONE ASKING YOU! WHO IN THE WORLD ARE YOU AND WHY DO YOU LOOK LIKE HUANG ZITAO?! AND DON'T YOU ING DARE LIE!”

Tao scoffed. "LIAR!" He spat. "IF YOU ARE SEHUN, WHY ARE YOU HERE IN MY WORLD?! FORGET IT, I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO HIM RIGHT NOW!"

The man quirked his eyebrows, intrigued. "Oh? And how are you supposed to do that? You don't supposedly have a butterfly that connects to him, do you?"

Tao laughed. "And if I do, what will you do?"

And then two butterflies came into the picture. Both of them widened their eyes. 

"Tao-" the man said, speechless. "You're the real Tao- but- how-? How are we here together-? If you're maybe in the same world as mine and you're in China, we're not supposed to be here- we can't possibly meet here- it's- impossible-"

"Sehun-" Tao said, flustered, finally realizing why Sehun's voice sounds so distant. "This graveyard is the bridge that connects the two universes. That's why your voice is so distant for me- and my voice sounds so distant for you- because we're not even in the same world. This is the place where we can together at the same time. It's not part of your world, not mine, either- it exists for itself."

"Oh- oh." Sehun stammered. "Give me a second, my brain's taking this information in."

Sehun, shaking a bit, sat on the ground. The whole floor of this grave was made with stone, and he was glad because he can sit without making his pants dirty.

“I-I’m surprised too,” Tao confessed solemnly, his expression still in mild shock. “Can I- sit on your side?”

“Sure, why not.” Sehun whispered, gritting his teeth. He buried his head in his palms. Tao smiled apologetically and sat beside him, his arms circled around Sehun’s neck.

“You’re not the only one that’s confused.”

“Your touch is so distant,” Sehun murmured. Tao sighed, nodding.

“This is the only way we can see each other, Sehun. It’s better then never seeing you.”

“Sure it is, but I want to be close to you, like, for seriously real.”

“Did you manage to find Baekhyun?” Tao asked, looking at Sehun in the face. Sehun gulped.

“Don’t remind me.”

“Oh? And why is that?” Tao said playfully, mimicking him when he was at it’s outburst. Sehun let out a small ‘ha ha’ before sighing.

“I just made the biggest mistake a retard could ever do. I lost my temper, Tao. He called us Guardians like we are some idiots or something. I can’t stand it. I cursed him and kicked him out of my house.”

Tao shook his head in amusement.

“Seriously, Sehun? We know he’s probably like that because his memory has not come back to him yet. Forget your over-the-top pride for once and start acting like a grown-up 18 year old.”

Junmyeon clamped his hands on his mouth to stop himself from screaming. The ground was shaking so hard- and yet he knows it is not an ordinary earthquake. Only he can feel it. This was all a hallucination.

The blinking lights were a torture, too. His eyes became too sensitive to light now- his eyes watered so much, he will not be wondering, by tomorrow, everyone will assume he just picked a fight with a gangster.

“Suho- how are you going to do it-?”

“Don’t come near me,” the man growled. “Go, idiot. You’re not supposed to be here-“

“But, Suho- we can’t leave you here alone! At least have one of the Guardians to stay with you-“

“I SAID GO! GO, YOU FOOL!” The man shouted, making the other man tremble. The man breathed heavily, and then he drew a sharp breath.

“Go,” the man pleaded softly. “Please. Before any of us gets hurt.”

The ground shook harder, making Junmyeon twitch in pain. Who was that- Suho-? Doesn’t that mean Guardian-?

He yelped, the ground shaking again. Not that vision, not again. He breathed heavily, clenching his fists. I need- water-

Realizing this, he scrambled to the bathroom, frantically letting the bathtub fill with cold water. The ground shook again, making him bit his lip, and then the light made him shut his eyes. Let me just hold this until the tub’s completely filled please-

He shrieked silently when the ground shook even harder. His fingers fumbled with the tap- and then he splashed himself in, not caring if he had drenched his clothes.

He felt the pain being slowly drained away- but someone- something- was there. He could feel the smirk.

Mind a bit dizzied, he closed his eyes.

Someone was there, it was charging towards him- he can’t do anything anymore; he’s too weak, too fragile-

Finally, you’ve admitted this, Water Guardian. Can’t you even see we are much stronger than you?

Something black slowly crept on his vision. Panicking, he yanked himself out of the tub-

Thud.

He groaned in pain, and then the world slowly became a blur- time seemed to slow down- and then, the darkness completely engulfed him.

The man stomped in disbelief on the sidewalk, making a few pedestrians shake their heads in amusement. His face was set in a scowl, and he was pissed. Extremely pissed.

Baekhyun scoffed again, ignoring the stares a group of children were setting on him. He was even now more annoyed.

That man, just dragging me in his house like that, and telling me that it’s completely normal to have those stupid hallucinations, like he does experience one! And for the creepier fact, he even knows my name! My name!

He bumped on a man, which made Baekhyun flustered and immediately apologize. The man just gruffly shook his head and continued walking.

Baekhyun muttered a sarcastic ‘thank you’ and continued stomping his way.

What the hell just happened? If I’m ever going to see him again, I swear, I’m going to report him to the police and then I’ll kill him, I swear, really-

He groaned in frustration as his mind took what has happened. This was all too much for him. Someone- what was his name? Sehun? – Just dragging him, knowing his name, and calling him a hyung. For god’s sake, a hyung.

Baekhyun refused to believe that man was only 18 years old. Nope. He does not accept that.

Taking a sharp breath, he sat down on a bench, confused. When that Sehun guy approached him, he swore that the man seemed so familiar. But if he did once appear in his life, he will be able to distinguish that man from others, wouldn’t he? And remember his name?

“Hello?”

Baekhyun’s face went up, only to see a handsome man with an angelic smile. He felt his cheeks burning- angelic? Why would I describe some man like that? – And he immediately cleared his throat.

“Oh, hello to you too.”

The man nodded his head in acknowledgement. “May I sit beside you?”

“S-sure,” Baekhyun stuttered, not knowing how to react. The man in front of him murmured a small ‘thanks’ and then sat beside him.

Why does he look so familiar-?

“Lovely day, isn’t it? My name is Kim Junmyeon.”

“Byun Baekhyun,” Baekhyun replied the man that is named Junmyeon, and then his face darkened. “For me, it’s a horrible day.”

“Oh, and why is that?” Junmyeon asked him, a look of mild surprise etched on his face.

“Oh. Some stranger just dragged me into his house and then told me about creepy stuff. Good thing he just swears a lot. It’s better than being punched in the guts.” Baekhyun explained, scowling.

The Junmyeon man chuckled.

“It’s not funny,” Baekhyun said, irritated by his laugh.

“I’m sorry,” Junmyeon held back his laughter and then met Baekhyun’s face again. “It’s just that it’s highly unlikely that someone will encounter a problem like that, and I find it highly amusing.”

“Amusing, amusing my ,” Baekhyun grumbled, making the man face him. A little bit shocked, he jumped, making the man laugh again.

“You have a low sense of humor, Junmyeon-sshi.”

“I know,” Junmyeon replied airily. “And I’m not proud of it, either.”

“What are you doing here?” Baekhyun asked curiously. “For me, well, it’s just been a stressful day for me, so I went to this park to forget about my problems.”

And, oh yeah, Baekhyun, don’t forget about that tattoo in your hand, too.

Junmyeon’s posture momentarily went rigid, and then it relaxed again, but this time, his body was stiff.

“To find someone.”

Baekhyun noticed the change of his voice. It was deeper than his voice before, there’s no warmth in it.

“Someone? Who is that?” Baekhyun inquired further, interested.

“You.”

Junmyeon turned his head on Baekhyun, making him startled. What Baekhyun noticed most was his eyes. It wasn’t full of warmth like before, it was cold, icy cold.

“Would you come with me if I ask you to?”

Baekhyun nodded without even thinking, almost as if he was being hypnotized.

Junmyeon was smiling his angelic smile, but at the same time, his eyes were contradicting that smile. The man that was there wasn’t Junmyeon.

It was someone else.

Lay contentedly smile as the wind ruffled his hair. He finished the rest of his soda and threw the plastic cup on the trashcan and continued walking down the street.

Does freedom always feels like this?

A warm feeling started to swell in his heart. He was grateful, so grateful to Tao. He wonders if that boy didn’t manage to find him.

No, I don’t want to imagine that.

The sunset was beautiful, and the orange-pink sky hovered around the area, reflecting lights on anything that is reflective. The birds were chirping happily, and the children were playing so happily he couldn’t help but to be happy as well.

He continued to walk home. Without even knowing, Lay continued to pass a lonely lane. His instincts kicked in, and, without him even knowing, he fastened his pace.

This street is giving me the chills.

Something changed in the air around him. He stopped suddenly, and looked behind him, only to see a smiling man faced at him. His eyes widened in bewilderment. The man in front of him cocked his head to the side.

“You-? Aren’t you-?”

And then, the man smirked.

He felt a sense of numbing frost on the back of his head-

and then his consciousness spiraled down in the coldness.