“It’s really easy. We’ll go in, bring them back to reality then come back! Simple right?” Onew continued without gasping for air.

So the 4 men went on about planning their mini adventure, Onew showing them the instruction manual, delegating to the trio what they should help prepare. Like a leader indeed. Onew has decided that they will start their expedition on Friday, 3 days from today, 10am at Jonghyun’s so that Onew’s mother doesn’t suspect or get worried. He requested Jonghyun to prepare some metal plates for the body of the machine, which he can definitely get at the metal junkyard right next to campus. Key would prepare the clocks, buttons parts and a toolbox. Minho would bring them some weapons for safety like the swiss knife, pepper spray and stun guns.

The leader himself will prepare whatever he deems is necessary and the fuel capable of lasting for the period that they are there. It states in the paper that they required Vibranium to complete and start up the engine. What the hell is Vibranium? Whatever it is, Onew has to find out. He promised to examine the instructions carefully. He is sure he doesn’t want to risk his friends’ life for someone’s that only so important to him. He doesn’t want to be like grandpa.  

After delegating their tasks, they went about their own schedules. Onew left feeling like a burden has been lifted off of him. With such great friends around, he really couldn’t ask for more. He begin feeling hopeful, excited yet at the same time scared. Is this really the correct thing to do? What is it like in that universe? What can he expect? Most of all, are the two students still alive? If they are, what should he say? How can he explain everything to them? These questions are flooding and replaying in his mind since he left the coffee shop. And he knew well enough that the answers will come very soon. If he ever does succeed with the machine, that is.

For the rest of Tuesday, Onew went back to campus to see his professor. He needed to know what is Vibranium. What it does and how to get it.

 “Vibranium?” Prof. Moo cocked up an eyebrow, staring at Onew thinking why is he even asking, “Why that isn’t in your course of study. But if you need to know, it’s a source of energy, very powerful energy. It’s named as such because it absorbs vibrations from its surroundings to create energy within itself. That is why it is so overwhelming, too much energy that we humans have not found a way to harness its potency.”

“Ahhh..” Onew nodded as the information sinked in.

“But please tell me you are not intending to start anything with it. Not that you could, it’s doesn’t occur naturally on Earth, you have to create it. Just in case you have any ideas, my top student, there is no determination to how much external energy Vibranium can absorb. If it’s past its threshold, it will explode, releasing an incredible amount of force and may destroy everything. Well that I wouldn’t know. But seriously, don’t,” Prof. Moo warned solemnly.

“But scientifically, if I can stop it from absorbing more energy, it won’t explode right?” Onew explored cheekily with a mischievous grin.

“Scientifically speaking, yes. But technically speaking, how are you planning to stop it? You can’t see vibrations! And you wouldn’t know it’s threshold. So stop exploring, stop thinking. Go home, Onew. We need to stop piecing your puzzle together before it’s too late. See you when school starts again,” Prof. Moo ended the light-hearted conversation curtly and left his office.

“Right, now I know what it is. I can create it! I’ll look it up the internet when I return. It shouldn’t be too difficult.” Onew thought absentmindedly as he left the office shortly after and walked home.

For the whole of Wednesday and Thursday, Onew just spends his two days cooped up in his room, figuring out Vibranium. He has some step-by-step directions from the internet, and a whole variety of chemicals that he has smuggled back before to try out his own experiments. The only time Onew would sneak out of his room was to eat, , bathe and let mother know that he is still well and alive. And occasionally, Onew would dash to the kitchen to grab a couple spoons and stirrers and never coming out with them. Let’s just say that mother and Onew was used to this, and because it was Onew’s interest since he learnt the subject, mother never questioned but only supported.

“I did it! I did it! Omo omo! Just in time for tomorrow!” Onew hopped in his room like a bunny he was, excited because sitting there, glowing on his lab table, was a little neon blue stone. That’s Vibranium.

Onew had it all figured out carefully. He would slip the stone in a vacuum jar that he made from middle school for a science fair. Because it was in a vacuum, there was no way that the stone would come into contact with vibrations. And from the chemical amounts he had used, Onew decided that he could calculate (with physics laws from the piece of paper) how much the stone can approximately hold before it reaches the danger zone. With that, Onew propped into bed, drifting off to sleep amidst all the excitement and the strain in his eyes after a long day. 

FYI, Vibranium is the element used for Captain Ameriaca's Shield. It's fictional, I think. But the information is correct. It's more commonly remembered for its appearance in Iron Man 2!