Portland High

Sehun, Sulli and Sungjong started their slow procession towards the school. All 3 looked uncomfortable with the much younger crowed. Sehun and Sungjong being already 26, couldn’t stop squirming against each other every time girls would giggle their way. Sulli didn’t have too much trouble, most of those who looked at her didn’t ogle, more like just looked curiously at the new student.

Suho and Jieun were following a bit distantly from the three. Even they got some stares but they managed to ignore it.

            “Sulli and I are the same age, I wonder why Leeteuk oppa didn’t assign me with her.” Jieun thought out loud, shifting her heavy bag.

She saw Suho grinning.

            “that’s because you’re more mature than Sulli mentally. You’ve practically lived independently your whole life.”

Jieun rolled her eyes.

            “thanks a lot for making me feel older than I already am, cuz.”

Suho laughed, his eyes turning to slits.

            “if it’s any consolation, you really don’t look like 27.” He said bumping shoulders with Jieun.

This time she laughed.

            “and you don’t look like 46 yourself.”

            “hey low blow!”

she shrugged laughing.

All 5 of them met again at the principal’s office to hand din their papers and since Sulli, Sehun and Sungjong had already been enrolled they were directed to the registrar’s office for their schedules. Suho and Jieun stayed at the office for a bit with a few from the principal. In the end, they were assigned to the guidance office to help out talking to troubled students.

            “I think this will greatly help our mission.” Suho said grinning keeping his eyes on the instructions from the principal.

Jieun however was not as positive as her cousin. Troubled highschool students are most often very uncooperative. If they’re bullied, they’re afraid that their bullies will bully them even more if they blab to someone. If they’re loners, talking with someone they don’t know is a sure no no. if they’re bullies, well it’s obvious why you can’t talk to them.

            “actually, it isn’t as great as you might think, Suho.”

He frowned.

            “why?”

            “you obviously haven’t been to a public highschool before.” She said. Suho stared speechless at her. He knew she was right. “it doesn’t always go the way we hope it would. I know.” She sighed.

            “oh, sorry, Jieun-ah.” Suho looked away from his cousin feeling sorry.

Jieun smiled at Suho.

            “it’s been years already, don’t worry about it.” she patted Suho’s shoulder then exhaled. “so, ready to do this?”

Suho grinned.

            “you betcha!”

-----

Sehun, Sungjong and Sulli entered their class and got introduced as the Kims. SungJong and Sulli were twins and Sehun was their cousin. Since there were a lot of Asians in the school they were eyed with much interest.

As Sungjong was about to take his seat a bulky, an American boy pulled his chair away from his causing him to fall hard on the floor. A loud roar of laughter erupted in the once hushed classroom. Sungjong hurriedly stood up and glared at the bully.

            “problem, wuss?” he smirked arrogantly.

Sulli eyed Sungjong whose knuckles turned white and hurriedly motioned to Sehun.

            “ignore him.” Sehun whispered from the seat beside his friend. With their vampire senses Sungjong heard it and just took a deep breath and pulled his chair back and sat on it.

            “yeah, that’s it, wimp. Get your skinny down on that chair.” The bully taunted again, his friends laughing and giving him high fives. The teacher just ignored the exchange.

            “this is why I never wanted to go to highschool.” He muttered without moving his lips. Sehun just fidgeted uncomfortably.

A hand then appeared on Sungjong’s table and placed a single tissue. He looked up and saw a girl to his right; a pretty brunette in a high ponytail was smiling at Sungjong and motioning him to take the tissue. Sulli saw the gesture and deduced that this girl must be one of the popular kids as there was whispering staring at the girl.

Sehun observed the reactions from each of the students quickly. While some eyed with curiosity the boy who bullied Sunjong earlier was looking daggers at him. This is definitely not a good sign.

Sungjong may be cheerful and playful most of the time but get on his bad side then you will see how explosive his temper can be. Not only that but he is a Yin. Sehun and Sulli looked at each other and sighed when Sungjong’s features softened and back to his innocent smile and took the tissue with a slight bow of thanks to the girl.

            “I think I now know why Leteeuk hyung only sent 2 Yins with us.” Sehun said from under his breath to Sulli who was in front of him.

She smiled.

Sungjong glared at Sehun upon hearing the remark while the latter sniggered.

---

the bell signaling the end of the classes rung and students started rustling in the hallways to get to their lockers and finally go home.

Suho and Jieun walked out of the guidance office and stretched their limbs. It had been a boring day for them; quite different from the action-packed days they usually spend.

            “missing your team already?” Suho teased.

Jieun snorted.

            “I’m used to sitting in a desk all day, Suho, I should be the one asking you that question.”

            “well, it isn’t bad.” He sighed his expression slightly dark. He had quite a few difficult students to deal with that day most were victims of bullying and were very reluctant to speak.

Jieun knew what her cousin was thinking about and nodded to herself.

            “how about we see this friend of yours now?” Jieun suggested.

            “I think now is the perfect time to do it.” Suho said and turned to the direction of the school infirmary.

---

Sehun, Sulli and Sungjong were now out sitting on one of the school benches waiting for Suho and Jieun. While waiting, they discussed what they have observed so far.

            “did you see how students cowered when that that tried to bully me walk pass them?” Sungjong asked facing the other two.

            “yeah, and they reacted the same with his cronies.” Sehun’s face scrunched up thinking hard.

            “he is definitely the biggest bully in this playground but the question still remains if he is the next target. What if it’s some other bully from another highschool.” Sulli asked.

Sungjong took out a map from his backpack and spread it on the table.

            “I thought about that too and asked Suho about it. you see here?” he pointed at the red circles he and Suho marked. “these are from where those boys that were attacked are from.”

            “these were all the schools.” Sehun remarked.

Sungjong nodded.

            “connect the dots and what do you get?” he asked sounding like a game show host.

Sulli giggled while Sehun frowned.

            “this is no time for jokes, Sungjong.”

            “look who’s talking, you held me back from pummeling that bullying moron in class!” Sungjong retorted.

            “that’s coz you would draw attention, who would believe a skinny kid like you could take on Mr. Hulk back there.” He said and jerked his thumbed over his shoulder towards the school building.

Instinctively, Sungjong glanced behind Sehun’s back his perfect features contorted in obvious disgust.

Sulli sensed the incoming trouble from the spell she had cast around them and inconspicuously folded the map and shoved it to her bag.

            “what’s wrong with you now?” Sehun snapped.

But Sehun’s question was answered by a mocking voice from behind him and casted a shadow over their heads.

            “well, well, lookit here, fresh meat, guys.” The bully from their class said and his 3 other friends started laughing.

One walked over to Sungjong and put his foot on the chair deliberately hitting the side of Sungjong’s thigh.

            “look at this one, Mike, looks like a girl.” The guy said flipping Sungjong’s hair causing the latter to jerk away.

            “ohhh… we got a feisty one over here!” another one of his friends said leaning on the table from beside Sulli.

            “why don’t you just leave us alone.” Sulli said through gritted teeth.

As she had not been out on missions much, her magic for combat mostly depends on her temper and mood.

            “shut it girly or you’ll be getting it as well!” Mike snapped at her and shoved her forward.

Sehun was the calmest out of the three and tried to think of a way for this to not turn ugly. As a Yang, he is used to assessing situations and thinking of ways to do it better and of course having Chanyeol and Baekhyun on his team made him practice his self control.

            “leave her alone!” Sungjong yelled making all 4 of the boys to turn their attention to him. He was already breathing hard and his fists clenched again.

            “or what?” Mike growled. “or what, wimp? You’re gonna squeal us to death?”

Sungjong didn’t back down from the stare down and made his own fierce glare.

            “I will kick your sorry so bad you wont be able to sit down without wincing for the rest of your pathetic little life.” He spat.

            “Sungjong.” Sehun warned.

Sehun’s hand moved towards Sulli’s whose hands started to hiss as she clenched her hands tightly on the bench and started tapping morse code on it.

Mike and his friends started howling in laughter and you can’t blame them, Sungjong looked like a third of Mike’s size.

Mike started forwards toward Sungjong and the latter stood up in defiance and crossed his arms in a confident stance. Sunjong knew that basing on his speed and Mike’s weight, he had this in the bag even without using his hands.

Mike flexed his muscles.

            “scared now, wimp?” he said trying to intimidate his quarry.

Sungjong gave a deliberate yawn and looked bored.

            “I’ve seen better.”

            “why you-!” Mike lunged forward his fist raised ready for the strike. Sungjong grinned, moved to the side at the last minute and stuck his foot out tripping Mike who fell flat on his face.

At that instant Sulli raised her fists and opened her palms. Red light flashed around then and faded as quickly as it appeared. The 4 bullies froze from where they stood, eyes staring blankly into space.

            “we better get moving before they get their consciousness back.” Sehun stood up and motioned Sungjong to move the latter took one disgusting glance back at Mike before trudging with his 2 companions.

As soon as they disappeared around the corner of the building the bullies regained their bearings but with no memory of what had occurred just minutes before.

---

            “we’re here.” Suho pointed at the infirmary sigh outside the door.

Jieun knocked twice and a voice told them to come in.

Suho opened the door and sitting on an office desk was the banshee and his friend. She had long, dirty blonde hair, her blue eyes looked up as the 2 entered her place of solace.

            “can’t say I’m surprised to see you here, Suho.” She smiled casually.

            “it’s been a long time, Gina.” He smiled back. Jieun looked at the both of them feeling slightly out of place.

            “oh not that long, Suho, more than a decade is really not as long for us as it is for others.” She stood up and walked towards Suho and gave him a friendly hug.

            “very true indeed.” Suho laughed. He glanced a Jieun beside him and gestured towards her. “by the way, this is Jieun, my partner for this mission.”

Gina turned her attention to the maja and gave her a genuine friendly smile, which Jieun also returned offering her hand for a shake.

            “nice to meet you.” Gina said taking Jieun’s hand.

            “pleasure is all mine.”

            “I haven’t really met you before. I assume you’re new?” she asked gesturing for them to sit down on the couch.

            “yep, been on this job for 2 years.”

            “job…” Gina trailed and gave a weak smile. She glanced at Suho. “it’s…a nice way of putting it, what you people do.”

            “we all have something to do, Gina, it is why we are all here.” Suho said.

            “I know. While you fight the bad guys we face the dying people telling them they’re about to die.” She said bitterly. Jieun shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

            “Gina…”

Gina huffed out a breath and smiled. She gave a tiny jerk of her head before straightening up in her seat.

            “so, I expect you two are here due to those attacks?”

            “what do you know about those?” Suho asked taking care of his tone as not sound accusing.

            “well, I don’t blame you for thinking that my kind have something to do with the attacks. Only banshees can ever do so much damage and for human machines…” she scoffed. “they need a device big and strong enough to reach the frequency needed to cause that damage.”

            “so you think a banshee could’ve done it too?” Jieun asked. Gina looked at her a smiled.

            “yes.” She said a flicker of sadness in her eyes. “this has happened only once before.”

Suho and Jieun straightened up in their seats both eyes widened in shock. So this was why Leeteuk considered banshee attack even if it was impossible and unlikely.

            “how? when?” Suho asked.

Gina turned her gaze outside the window watching the golden leaves fall from the trees.

            “a few hundred years ago. To my great grandmother.”

            “what happened back then?” Jieun asked almost sympathetically.

A stray leaf managed to get blown away into the window and onto the coffee table in front of them. Gina picked it up, she twirled it around her fingers. She blew onto it and instantly it froze, ice crystals surrounding every corner of the leaf. Suho and Jieun’s eyes were fixed intently upon the frozen leaf. Gina opened wide to scream, at least that was what Jieun thought but no sound came out from . In a split second, the frozen leaf exploded making Jieun jump in her seat; Suho remained motionless.

            “once every 50 years, one banshee is born with this kind of ability; a gift and a curse.” She smiled bitterly. “not all banshees have the power of ice, but with that power comes a curse. We get all of the memories of those that had this power.”

            “memories?” Suho muttered curiously. Gina nodded.

            “memories, sad, happy, pain and success, everything. My great grandmother, when she was just reaching maturity suffered pain so unimaginable she snapped. She lashed out to those who hurt her the same way as the attacks that occurred here.”

            “those people became deaf and blind too?” Jieun asked.

            “yes and no. during those days there were no treatments and they all died from either the infection or from the loss of blood. The boys that were attacked now should consider themselves lucky. Whoever the banshee was must’ve really hated them.”

            “what happened to her?” Suho asked.

Gina looked at him almost with pain in her eyes. She thought if she should tell him the truth or not. But in the end she did.

            “she got molested and by 3 men on her 18^th birthday.” Tears formed in her eyes. “her feelings and thoughts that day, when she panicked knowing what will happen to her. The anguish she felt when they left her there for dead in the cold night. I could feel all of it.” Gina suddenly sounded angry and harsh.

            “Gina?” Jieun snapped her from her trance.

Gina jolted in her seat slightly.

            “anyway, I couldn’t blame her for what she did after that. Banshees at that age are still volatile and uncontrollable.” Gina looked up and met Suho’s gaze. “that’s why Dana convinced Kangta not to kill her.” She smiled softly.

Jieun froze in her seat; Suho sat up straight his eyes turning to marbles. Gina stared at the both of them and looked confused.

            “is something the matter?” she asked. Suho’s gaze then snapped to his cousin. Jieun was staring at Gina.

            “my…my…parents?”

Gina’s eyes widened.

            “you’re Dana and Kangta’s lost daughter?”

Jieun swallowed and nodded. Gina smiled widely at her.

            “you know my great grandmother wanted to thank your mom but never got the chance. So I think on her behalf I should thank you. They were such nice people.”

Jieun smiled.

            “I bet they would accept your great grandmother’s gratitude. I wish I could’ve met them.”

Gina patted her hand comfortably.

            “at least you have the derp prince here as a cousin.” She jerked her thumb to Suho who frowned.

            “HEY!”

both girls laughed at Suho who sat back at the couch with a childish frown stuck on his face.