Rating: Strong T

Warning: None.

A/N: Thank you for reading, up voting, commenting and subscribing people. Major events up ahead so pay close attention to the chapter.

|Ten|

“Professor Ahn, I never imagined I’d find you in this section of the library,” if there was something Dr. Kim Haneul had learnt over the years studying and teaching, it was that scientists were people usually driven by facts. Mythology just wasn’t all that factual. “I thought mythology was beneath your course of study?”

Professor Ahn couldn’t help chuckle, the query pulling him away from his search to face her, “Not at all, Dr. Kim. I enjoy delving in other fields from time to time to refresh the mind from all the facts and figures.”If only the woman knew how entangled with myth his life truly was, and if his suspicion about Sooyoung and her acquired ability panned out, it would be even more so than ever before.

Dr. Kim Haneul smiled at the revelation. Her field of study was often mocked and dismissed by science types, so it was nice to know that it wasn’t the case with the professor. “In that case, is there something I can help you find?”

“I was wondering if there’s any book on the theory or mythology of reincarnation or rebirth?” help would allow him to get to what he wanted faster, therefore her help was greatly appreciated.

She hummed, “Well, it’s quite a widely covered concept that even presents itself in different religions throughout Asia. The belief that a person is reborn according to how they lived their lives is covered in most religious texts,” it truly was a broadly covered subject matter with concepts and elements changing one theory to the next, there was never one theory that carried the day as the absolute common denominator.

“I was hoping for something more specific. Like theories only present in Korean mythology, one that isn’t linked to religion. Is there anything of the sort you could think of?” should he be right about Sooyoung and how her additional ability came to be, then it was possibility  that just like Dong Bang Shin Ki, it was a phenomenon exclusive to Korea.

Thinking of something outside of the religious context was quite a tax, especially since there weren’t many based outside of religion. Moreover ones that weren’t specific to the country. But, something she was researching came to mind. “There is the Phoenix Theory. It’s not a widely known story, but it fits what you’re looking for,” already perusing the shelf for material to give him on the matter.

“I thought a Phoenix was a mythical bird,” from what he knew, a phoenix was a bird that burst into flame when they die, only to be reborn from the ashes.

“True. The phoenix is a bird, but the concept I’m talking about is a theory that relays to human,” halting her search to explain. “According to the professor, not all souls are reborn. Only souls that are white or pure are awarded the privilege to live once again, because it’s believed that as one grows older they go through certain things that dims or darkens the soul.”

It sounded right up the alley of his thoughts, but it still was concrete proof –because theories were just that, theories.

“In fact it’s a theory that is closely linked with the Dong Bang Shin Ki folktale,” Dr Kim revealed, continuing her search for the paper that contained the detailed analysis of what she was talking about.

That definitely peaked his interest, “How so? I’ve never really heard of such a link.”

“That’s because the story has been passed down so many times that certain things have been overlooked, ignored or distorted,” she clarified, figuring he would need an analysis of the Dong Bang Shin Ki legend to fully understand the connection, grabbing a volume of the appropriate text. “The reason Dong Shin was attracted to the woman was because she had a pure white soul, which if you remember is necessary to be a candidate for the phoenix phenomenon. It’s also been thought that the reason he hasn’t returned to his throne is because his future children encounter the phoenix, keep falling for her and making the same mistake he’d made over and over again, thus never being reborn in them.”

It was all falling into place all too perfectly, and all from a random shot-in-the-dark of an idea, “Interesting.”

“Indeed it is,” a smile pulling at her lips, due to his genuine interest. “These should help you, that is, if you are interested enough to read further,” hoping she wasn’t being overzealous and presumptuous pulling the books.

He accepted the books, knowing he needed it to solidify his thoughts. “Kamsahabnida Kim-ssi. You’ve been very helpful, I will definitely read these.”

--~*+*~-:-o-:-~*+*~--

Sooyoung had taken to avoiding him since the mission, doing a quick about face whenever she spotted him in a room she wanted to enter. Now, if Jaejoong had known all it took to rid himself of her presence was an impromptu kiss of life, he would have laid a searing kiss on her sooner and gotten rid of her permanently. Unfortunately, the other guys had formed an attachment to her so it was too late to do anything without their wrath befalling him. Hell, Yunho had asked Boa over as a buffer the other night so Jaejoong wouldn’t be left alone with his precious ordinary.

“You surprise me Choi Sooyoung, does the simple act of giving you air really have you running from me now?” He spoke out when he spotted her trying to retreat out of the room. “Should I have known, I would have stolen a kiss a long time ago and had you out of the house sooner –pity.” He expected her to run for the hills, but she surprised him by turning on him with a raised eyebrow.

Of course the self important jackass that was Jaejoong would believe anything that painted him in a favorable light and insulted her. Oh he had another thing coming, “Jaejoong-ssi, don’t think too highly of yourself, your less important in my thoughts than you think,” she was being mean, but he was provoking her. “Isn’t this what you wanted? Not to have to be around me unless strictly necessary? Well here you go, you can have it. What happened just cemented the fact that I really don’t like you, even on standby. Avoiding you is really about me and has nothing to do with you,” She added, because he’d fired her up too much to make her stop. “Unless, of course, you miss me and my absence is bothering you.”

“I thought we established that the feeling was mutual,” the fire in her eyes and verbal attack was something he hadn’t quit expected if he was to admit it.

Giving him one last glare of dismissal, she walked out of the room to gather her thoughts. The real reason why she couldn’t stand to be in the same room with him was that he reminded her of her failure, and that she had a reason to be grateful to the otherwise spiteful moron. The mission would have been blown wide open should she have swarm to the surface due to panic, instead of Jaejoong holding her down for the duration he had. His kiss of life had stirred nothing but further annoyance with him. The pride she had of being a capable woman was however shattered to pieces, and she needed to recover before she could face the idiot with her head held high.

During the past weeks Sooyoung had made frequent pilgrims to the lagoon alone, testing herself and her resolve by entering the water alone. It got better she supposed, but it still wasn’t acceptable. Her nerves were still wrecked every time she tried going further into the deeper parts of the pool where the bottom wasn’t visible. Heart beat too loud in her ears, and she practically hyperventilated when she thought about swimming across it. In other words her attempts failed every time, swimming back to the bank with humiliation in mind.

Today wasn’t any better. It was worse, having Jaejoong goading words taunting her, mounting her frustration with herself even further.

“I probably shouldn’t invade your privacy, but you’ve been a bit down lately after your walks,” Junsu made himself known, stepping out of the shadows. “I wanted to make sure you were okay?” offering her a hand to help her out of the water.

She would have preferred dealing with failure on her own, but she thought it was better Junsu than Yunho. Failure would he confirming Yunho’s reservations about her abilities to handle missions. Letting herself down was a heavy burden already, him being a witness to it would be too much. “So, you saw my failure,” she concluded taking his hand, allowing him to pull her up and wrapping a towel around her shoulders.

“From where I’m standing you are doing very well. Not many can set aside their fear to attempt getting over them,” he countered, guiding her toward a flat boulder to talk. Her fear of large water bodies and deep pools was something strongly rooted in her mind. Her progress from where she had been, to where she was then was remarkable. There was absolutely nothing to be ashamed about, unless Jaejoong had said something to make her doubt herself.

“But I still failed, oppa,” Sooyoung insisted with a self depreciating smile. “I still can’t swim past that part of the lagoon alone, I have a small panic attack just thinking about it. I still freeze up momentarily whenever I enter water –I failed.”

“It’s a big step to enter the water alone, an even bigger one is that you haven’t given up,” he encouraged. She didn’t seem like the type who accepted failure easily, or would give up on something because it was beyond her. It must have been quite frustrating to not succeed, at least in her eyes.

She would believe it, if Junsu wasn’t the sunny side, positive man he was, but she wasn’t going to allow herself the luxury. “I almost botched the whole mission the other night. My knees locked when I was supposed to jump, Jaejoong-ssi had to drag me along with him. In the water, I panicked so badly that I tried to swimming to the surface forgetting the fact that guards were still up there on the docks looking for us. If he hadn’t…I failed,” tears of frustration filling her eyes, recalling her missteps and her grudging gratitude toward Jaejoong. “I convinced everyone I could do it, but I almost ruined a mission because I panicked.”

It was all becoming clear. The others might consider him slow on the uptake –at least by Dong Bang Shin Ki standards –but he could more than easily figure out that this failure hit harder. Mainly because Jaejoong –of all people –had witnessed it. And it would be a hit to her resolve and pride if she proved Yunho’s earlier reservations right. With Jaejoong, he could be a jerk and didn’t make it a secret that he wasn’t fond of her so, him being a witness would be setting her up for his verbal lashing. Yet he’d been much more controlled lately. As for Yunho, he wasn’t the type to judge her not succeeding due to a weakness she was already working on, especially when he’d set his mind to give her choice a chance by respecting it.

“Yah, Sooyoung-ah, no more –I won’t allow you to feel sad about something you are trying to overcome,” wrapping a brotherly arm around her shoulders, he gave her a half hug. “You’ve made this oppa determined to help you.”

Gosh, how could someone be such a fuzz bunny? Minutes ago the world was crashing down on her, but a hug and words of encouragement had her smiling despite herself. “If you insist,” she laughed, laying a head on his shoulder.

“It may not be today or tomorrow, but you will overcome it one day because you are determined to do it,” he added soberly, rubbing her arm in comfort sure of his words.

“Kumayo,” she sighed, finally feeling lighter than she had in days.

•                                             •                                             •                                             •

Aigoo that woman, was she taking his kindness for weakness? Maybe his choice to not let her drown was a hasty one. Jaejoong was being too nice to her, these days. Had he gone soft to allow the overly proud ordinary the last word?

“Where’s Sooyoung?” Yunho asked, finding the woman gone when he’d just heard her voice coming up from the garage.

Just what he needed, “Tell me: Do you sleep and wake up to thoughts of her so much, that it’s clouded your mind to think I actually care to speak about her,” his inquiry asked in a dangerously silky undertone that promised violence if Yunho didn’t shut up about her.

It was childish to roll his eyes, but Yunho couldn’t help it with Jaejoong’s overdramatic hostility. “Okay, what did you argue about this time?” He doubted their conversation lasted long enough to warrant his bad mood, but knowing Jaejoong, he could be wrong.

“What argument?  She just has to breathe to annoy me,” he’d been rather nice these few days, and now that he was irritated by her, the whole world stopped spinning or something? She already received nauseous affection from the professor down to the maknae, she didn’t need him, and he didn’t want, to be nice.

He’d actually hoped the few days of peace would last, but it was too much to ask. “How’s Boa?” Yunho asked, moving onto safer topics, if he wanted to eat –even if it was the older male’s spicy concoction. He’d find Sooyoung later.

“After you sent her over to shield your ordinary from me? Perfectly fine annoying me with questions about Choi,” some sort of alliance had formed between the two women, which meant only bad things for him. Boa actually liked the woman now, which had her constantly asking after Sooyoung hence annoying him.

“Thought you didn’t want to talk about her?” Yunho asked in amusement, since it hadn’t even been a minute that Jaejoong had gone off on a tangent at Yunho’s mere mention of her.

He knew very well what the pabo was alluding to, but he wouldn’t take it. “If you like that pretty nose, you’ll shut up before I cut it off your face.”

“No need for threats, it was just an observation,” Yunho gave in wittily, fighting a smile.

“Maybe I should cut off your lips too, so they don’t continue flapping about useless things,” Jaejoong added through bared teeth, wielding the knife dangerously.

--~*+*~-:-o-:-~*+*~--

No single camera had caught sight of the intruders at the facilities, not to mention someone had breached what he’d thought was an infallible system and infiltrated the party. Their man in the Ministry of Defense should have been on top of it, reassigning the coverts on other pursuits but he’d obviously failed. Now whoever broke in had knowledge of his partners in this project, not to mention bits and pieces of the project: not enough to be an immediate danger to the project, but enough to alert them of possible hitches in the future, should the person manage to discover its intricacies.

“Any suggestions on how to go about fixing this problem,” Chu Sungyeon asked his two hands-on partners, swirling around the scotch in his glass taking in the view before him.

“The kids can’t stay at the facility anymore,” Baek Daejung suggested the obvious. “For now we go over our systems to know what they’ve got, and go to the appropriate contingency plan. The most vital parts of the project are always with us anyway. I doubt there is anybody who could put together whatever bits and pieces they managed to collect fast enough to hinder or delay our plans.”

“They are still too close for comfort. I thought the connection you insisted on bringing in would be more help full in this respect, Soori,” Sungyeol accused the otherwise silent woman.

Getting angry would give the man the satisfaction he was looking for in accusing her for things that weren’t her fault. Bringing in other people was a good investment, an investment that had paid off quite a lot for him. “I brought them in for monetary support and favors that you’ve been enjoying greatly. The group is either something out of their jurisdiction or not government at all. There’s always the possibility of someone wanting the technology without sharing.”

“We can recall Hyun Joong back, since he’s done with his task. He can handle keeping the kids in line and security since the one that Yunshik provided have proven penetrable,” Baek spoke, because he could see the irritation playing at the Sungyeon’s face at Soori’s dismissive words. “I’m already working on getting you a new team that can hopefully move things along faster. The most vital, Choi Jinri, is being especially difficult, but with the death of her sister she should be easier to convince.”

Soori huffed, “Just like her mother –how unsurprising.” Dr. Moon had been a thorn in her side when she’d been alive, her first daughter was the same and she didn’t doubt that Jinri was the same.

Hopefully she was worth the trouble.

--~*+*~-:-o-:-~*+*~--

“So let’s go over what we know,” Captain Dojin began when his full team including Dong Bang Shin Ki and Sooyoung had settled in.

“From the pictures Jaejoong and Sooyoung took, we were able to identify some key players,” Kyuhyun typed away bringing up. “First up is Kang Jungsu, a senior staff member in the Ministry of National Defense’s office. Next is Go Haeri, an aid in the Ministry of Security and Public Administration which is probably how Chu is getting away with murder. There’s Hans Landenberg, who is looking for other avenues of business with the German government looking to phase out the use of nuclear power for green energy alternatives. There’s Oh Junhee, another aide but in the Ministry of Justice. There’s Lim Hyeshin multibillionaire looking for the next being thing to invest in. Last but not least is Drake Larson, weapons developer and dealer extraordinaire, he doesn’t invest in anything unless it will be a product he can sell. These are the ones we considered, because of their strategic location. ”

“A lot of heavy hitters,” Yoochun noted, whatever it was that Chu Sungyeon had gotten himself into was no child’s play.

“Dr. Chu maybe allergic to ethics and dirty as they come, but I never thought he’d fall into the deep end and become a merchant of death.” Changmin chuckled humorlessly. Sure the jackass was slimy, but he’d been a scientist after something considered good despite of his way of doing things. “But, I still can’t understand what Drake would want with a geneticist.”

“Go Haeri and Oh Junhee, are probably how he’s getting the heads up before we hit,” Yunho concluded he obvious. “Kang Jungsu has ties to the military being a staff member in the National Defense ministry, which means he could probably push innovative weapon projects to his boss, hence Drake Larson being in with them. But, like Changmin, I’m trying to understand how Chu could be linked in with all of this.”

“A genetically linked bio weapon?” Siwon offered.

“That is a slippery and very dangerous slop to go down. Drake Larson has kept his head over water because he’s all about gadgets, not bio warfare. I doubt he’d get involved in a risky thing like that,” Captain Dojin eliminated that option easily. As oxymoron as it sounded, Drake was a purist of machinery and technology over the biological and chemical when it came to weaponry.

“Do we know Lim Hyeshin’s connection to all this and why she’s being brought in other than money?” Sooyoung asked. The links had been made with everyone else except for her.  She was a bit of a wild card. Yunshik was in it for Jang Soori, Lim had no reason to be involved.

Henry smiled, “Glad you asked, Sooyoung-ssi. Lim is providing them with technology and gadgets. All that equipment you guys saw at SIST was all Lim(ited) Technologies provided. I don’t know if that’s the missing link you were looking for, but it’s pretty big. Some of them are prototypes.”

“So Chu test drives her prototypes in exchange she invests in his project. Possible trade off?” Victoria deduced.

“Seems like,” Sooyoung concluded as well.

“The info you brought from SIST. It was broken and nonsensical,” Kyuhyun went on to the next item on their agenda. “But, if it’s any consolation. They wouldn’t go through such protection methods if what you were looking for didn’t exist.”

“Puzzling,” Jaejoong suggested. “Basically dividing the information into many pieces and keeping it in different places, with that location holding only the necessary info for its function. Keys, which is coding for the important parts, are never kept on site.”

Yunho sighed, “Well, if what we got are bits and pieces, it means we can put it together and fill in the missing pieces.” Changmin had already figured some of the information held was genetic information, with possible DNA coding for someone or something. If he figured that out, the rest wouldn’t be that hard.

“You can’t retrieve puzzled data, that’s why the method is highly secure. But if you’re willing to burn some serious brain power that could possibly send you into a coma, you could try to understand the pieces you got: fill in the blanks with assumptions which isn’t reliable,” Henry contradicted. The guys were genius level smart, but no-one even MENSA level had been able to crack the security coding.

Sooyoung spoke up next, “What were held in the bits and pieces you found?”

“Mostly genetic data and lists of specimens categorized under the years of 1989-1994,” Changmin revealed. He didn’t mention that the DNA strand he was studying was eerily familiar but, still unidentified. “During those years, Chu Senior was alive so it could be a project he started and Sungyeon was helping in.”

“For now, I’ll have Victoria and Siwon, and their teams handle surveillance on our new entrants on the list. I think the five of you can decipher the bits you recovered. Sooyoung, I’ll need you for leg work on something else. In the next few days, I’ll check in. Be ready to move: dismissed.”

Only when everyone left, and Kyuhyun was alone with the Captain did he speak up. “What about the list you had Siwon work on? Isn’t that something linked to Chu Sungyeon?”

“You seem to be mistaken in thinking I run my decisions through you before making them. Stop snooping in unnecessary things and attempt to complete the tasks already assigned to you,” he owed no one an explanation, and Kyuhyun was pushing boundaries he had no business pushing.

--~*+*~-:-o-:-~*+*~--

Professor Kim’s recommended books were definitely insightful and solidified his theories. Another analysis of her blood pre and post transfusion further cementing the fact that even before Yunho’s blood transformed her, she hadn’t been all that ordinary. Her own blood had already undergone its own evolution long before Yunho’s had been introduced.

It was even more interesting that the pioneering theorist was Sooyoung’s ancestor, Professor Moon Haejung. Driving his idea from several myths passed down from generation to generation, as was the Dong Bang Shin Ki story. But his thoughts couldn’t be disregarded as the rambles of a lunatic as they seemed rather believable.

For one he presented the idea of possible DNA evolution, giving the Phoenix a unique DNA coding even from an ordinary human being. Sooyoung exhibited this trait with virtually no junk DNA. Of course he’d compare her samples with Boa’s pre and post transfusion as well. In the end, Sooyoung after-transfusion was left with no junk DNA whatsoever mimicking Dong Bang Shin Ki in coding, while Boa oddly enough looked like Sooyoung’s pre-transfusion.

There was also the possibility of the Phoenix presenting a special trait that was extra ordinary, bordering on paranormal. Sooyoung had her muscle precognition which was probably due the extra codes in her DNA. Living through many lives must have forced evolution in her brain or subconscious that allowed her to anticipate danger before it happened.

The biggest connection between the Phoenix Theory and his theory of Sooyoung, was its links with the Dong Bang Shin Ki. The coincidences between the two were just too strong to ignore, but it could only be realized if Yunho’s feelings were more than those of a protector to the woman.

“Mythology?” Changmin asked picking up the copy of Dong Bang Shin Ki: The Legend with the obnoxious subtitle of theories explored through the fable and how it applies to modern day life. “Thinking of changing courses?”

“More like working on theories,” Professor Ahn corrected, not wanting to divulge any assumptions without solid proof to back it up. “How was the debriefing?” trying to distract the young man from digging any further.

“Annoyingly inconclusive,” he divulged, dropping into the leather couch with a sigh. “I actually might need your help with something… You and your father had a stint working with Chu Senior, right?”

That caught his attention, “Not my proudest moment. Why?”

“Was there a project that spanned from 1989 -1994 you can remember? It produced a dozen viable specimens.”

Off the top of his head he couldn’t think of anything, that and he’d still been in school. It was his father that was working with the late scientist at the time. “I was in middle school at the time so, I can’t help you. But, I can look through my father’s old notes and files to see if he had anything in relation.” His father was one to keep diligent records of research and likely had notes on it. The task came from linking what the boys had found with what he had with his father’s papers. Even then he wasn’t 100% that the paper didn’t disappear with the fire.

“That would help,” at the moment, Changmin was willing to look at any angle if it got him closer to the answer. “There’s also this unidentified analysis of a DNA sample or samples, I’m not sure. Jaejoong and I have tried figuring it out, but we’ve hit a snag. Jaejoong’s genetic analysis skills are limited and I think I’ve seen it before, but I can’t remember where –which in itself is suspect given that I have photographic memory, meaning I never forget right?”

That was definitely suspect. “Do you have it on you? Maybe we can hack it together.”

--~*+*~-:-o-:-~*+*~--

With Captain Dojin warning for a possible mission in the coming days, Sooyoung decided to put in more time in training. The guys were unavailable, being all hands on deck with their own assignments leaving her with the training room and it’s equipment as her only sparring partner.

After adequate stretching and warming up, she wrapped her hands in protective tape forgoing gloves and began throwing punches at the bag. Taking into account Yunho’s advice for practicing her punches, she tried to rely on her fists more than kicks. Hits increasing in intensity the longer she practiced, sending the bag swinging wider.

“Who are you picturing each time you take a hit,” Yunho asked. He’d been watching her go at the bag for a while, deciding to make his presence known.

He’d been returning from the garage, when his acute hearing picked up on the heavy thuds of her fists connecting with the bag along with her accelerated heartbeat and labored breathing.

“My fears,” the expected answer would probably be Jaejoong, but he wasn’t even on her radar.

“Well you K.O’d them a while ago,” he assured her pushing of the wall approaching her as she hugged the bag to stop it swinging wildly. “Want to talk about it?” hand in his pockets, taking her in. It didn’t pass his notice that she was distracted the past few days, barely contributing at the brief earlier. Something was bothering her and she was dealing with it on her own.

She let out a breathless chuckle. “I wish it was that easy.” Honestly if it was that easy, knocking out her fears, she wouldn’t be in the situation on the first place. “You can say ‘I told you so’. My steely determination to prove me right almost back fired in my face, costing us a mission. Jaejoong-ssi told you right?”

“I’m not interested in ‘I told you so’ or think you deserve one,” Yunho gently assured her. Jaejoong hadn’t mentioned any of it to him so it was the first time he was hearing of this. “Just so you know, he hasn’t said anything to me. You can do that now on your own terms. I’ll listen with no judgment,” taking a seat on the sparing mat and tapping the space beside him for her to occupy.

She hesitated only for a second because she knew if she sat down, she’d start talking and wouldn’t stop. His presence as well as the lack of prejudgment in his eyes offered her safety to be vulnerable. She took it, with a conceding sigh. Dropping down beside him, she stretched her legs out mimicking his much longer ones. “We had to make a quick exit, that is, jump into the sea or risk an altercation. I hesitated,” she began stealing a glance at him to see if she’d been wrong about him judging her, but he was looking at her with open acceptance. “Jaejoong practically had to haul me in the water with him, because I wouldn’t have done it myself. If that wasn’t enough, when we lost momentum my immediate thought was to swim to the surface, completely forgetting the fact that guards were still on the dock. Without his adamant actions, I could have blown the mission wide open: I couldn’t control my fear.”

It was curious that Jaejoong hadn’t mentioned the incident to him, or made any snide remarks about it in his presence. Such a thing would have been a prime opportunity to rip into Sooyoung, and Yunho as well. As for her words, he still didn’t feel the need of an ‘I told you so’. At least from a friendly stand point. “Do you know Changmin is scared of cockroaches?” Yunho chose to say instead.

“What?” the randomness of the statement startling her enough to look him in the eyes. Did he not hear what she just said? Shouldn’t he be angry?

“Yeah, he literally screams like a girl when he sees one,” Yunho revealed. The maknae would probably kill him when he found out he’d divulged his open secret, but it was all to make a point to Sooyoung. “I remember one time a few summers back, he’d left for a weeklong conference with the Professor. Now, the four of us are clean, just not on Changmin OCD level of clean. I guess we attracted one little cockroach because of it, and it had the unfortunate fate of crawling out when Changmin was in the kitchen. I honestly thought it was Boa screaming for help, so I rushed into the kitchen and found him on a chair blubbering about a cockroach. It took forever to talk him down from the chair.”

Sooyoung despite herself let out a chortle, because imagining the tallest of the guys on a chair, letting go of a high pitched scream was too absurd and comical to be anything but hilarious.

“Yoochun, don’t let his cool composed nature fool you. He becomes a crying mess with ghosts,” he went on. Yes, he would definitely get it from the two but, he’d achieved what he was going for. “Once he thought he saw a ghost, couldn’t stop crying for an hour. I had to assure him that he could sleep in my room, so he could stop.”

“Yah, ghosts are creepy can you blame him. I’d probably sleep with the lights on for a month in addition,” she defended, bring back her legs to hug them close to her chest, resting her head on her knees. Her fear of ghosts wasn’t as bad as her fear of large water bodies, but they were definitely up there on the lists.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from all those mean ghosts,” he offered her, which made her roll her eyes even as she continued to smile brightly. In spite of the contradicting actions, there was a trust and faith shining in her eyes that told him, she believed his words.

“Last but, not least is Junsu,” he went on under her avid interest. “Clowns: he nearly broke my hand the last time we went to an amusement park, and just about fainted when a clown came too close. Not before letting go of an ear-piercing, dolphin-like squeal that nearly took out my eardrums.” Sufficed to say, they never did go back to an amusement park –at least with Junsu that is.

“Aww,” that revelation was an odd mix of comical and cute. Again she understood, since Jinri had the same fear, and would crawl into her bed whenever they had the unfortunate opportunity to run into one.

“The point I’m trying to make, is that everyone has a fear and you shouldn’t be ashamed of having one,” Yunho concluded. “We’re here –I’m here. Trust me when I say that we will work on it,” reaching out and squeezing her hand in assurance.

His words filled her with relief, because she’d expected an entirely different scenario. “You’re not upset?”

“As a commanding officer, maybe,” he confessed, because being the leader –the command–of Dong Bang Shin Ki and Sooyoung by extension, his priorities were with the successful execution of missions. “As a friend, I am not.” The latter overrode the former. In fact his previous reservations of her inclusion in missions was due to the same. It hadn’t changed.

There it was, the comforting warmth in words and actions that made her feel at ease. “It won’t happen again.”

“I can’t promise you every mission handed to you will be on dry land, but I’ll try my best to make it so until you have your water problem under control,” The Captain didn’t look to kindly on weakness, but Yunho’s priorities were with the well being of his team, which now included Sooyoung. “Now, how about picking on someone your own size, and sparring with me?” he changed course, getting on his feet and offering her a hand up.

“My own size?” she sniggered, even as she took the offered hand up. “Have you seen you? You’re like a giant.”

Shedding his over-shirt and shoes, he stepped on the mat once again. “Will it help if I said, I’ll go easy on you?”

“Are you being funny right now, Yunho-ssi? Because your trash talking game is completely down,” she returned, circling around him to find an opening as he did the same –eyes on nothing but her.

“Yah, are you going to attack or what?” he taunted with a small smirk, prompting her into action.

She’d gotten faster since the last time, but nothing that could truly challenge him. Not due to lack of skill on her part, but his nature. Her kicks that were already her best combat asset, were even better and stronger: utilizing her long legs in extension and renewed strength in their intensity. She attempted to use her hands, arms and elbows more which was an improvement, from her heavy reliance on her kicks. Her moves to get him into a hold were less predictable, so were her shifts form one attack to the next. On someone other than the five of them, she’d be a formidable fighter.

Sooyoung still hadn’t gotten a hit in, and she doubted she ever would unless he allowed her the privilege. His reaction time was still lightening fast, giving him an undisputed advantage over her. When he finally allowed her close enough to grapple, it was a challenge to even get a comfortable hold enough to bring him to the ground or into submission. Eventually he allowed her an opening that she took before he retracted it. She got his arm behind his back and shin behind his knee sending him toppling to the ground. Her accomplishment was short lived though, as his unrestrained arm came round to grab her and easily toss her onto her back, temporarily getting the wind knocked out of her. But her recovery was quick, getting onto his back and sweeping away his supporting arm from under him. He landed flat on his chest, with his arm trapped under her knee and her body pressing him down on the mat, arm pressing at the back of his neck.

He allowed her the hold for a few minutes, impressed by her reversal skills. It was easy, for him that is, to escape the hold. All it took was getting his free hand under him for leverage to throw her off his back.  Using his full speed against her, and flattening her bodily on the ground before she was aware of what happened, trapped into submission.

“Can’t let a girl win?” she asked breathing heavily, his face close enough for his hair to be jarred by her panting breath.

“Too competitive, not in my nature,” he returned, not as breathless as she was. It would take a lot more to get him truly winded.

It probably wasn’t at all what it looked like, but Yoochun still couldn’t help feel like he was interrupting something when he made his presences known.

When you walked in on a man on top of a woman, with faces mere whispers away and no intentions of moving; well it spoke for itself. “The professor’s looking for Sooyoung, and I need your help with something,” Yoochun announced after clearing his throat.

Moving off her and getting to his feet, Yunho offered her a hand up once again like a gentleman. “You’ve gotten better.”

“I’ll leave first,” she bid him goodbye, but turned at the door remembering something. “Thanks for earlier and now, Yunho-ssi.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Yunho assured her, before she disappeared out ofthe room. Only then did he notice Yoochun scrutinizing gaze. “What?”

Maybe he was reading too much into nothing, and it was just sparring. Who are you kidding? Was the snorted response his subconscious gave, “Nothing.” Saying something on assumption never lead anywhere good. Better to keep his mouth such until something concrete happened. “Well, other than this,” producing the picture and handing it to him.

“Isn’t this Kim Hyoyeon? One of Sooyoung’s friends,” identifying the blonde from the earlier investigation they’d done when he’d first brought Sooyoung to the manor.

“She’s snooping around the warehouses, and getting under the radar of the wrong people. I guess I’m asking if we should let Sooyoung know, or keep it close to the chest for now,” The blonde’s curiosity would likely land her in problems bigger than just losing her job, if unlucky it would be losing her life.

Keeping it from Sooyoung wasn’t advisable, but telling her while having someone watch over Hyoyeon would prevent the brunette from rushing back into the city foolhardy, and blowing her cover sky high. “I’ll talk to her. How do you feel about being in the city for a few days, while I figure out a better solution?”

“If you handle the captain, I’m all for it.”

TBC

A/N: So sorry it took so long to update, I couldn’t get the ending right. the legend is beginning to come to play as promised. As for the fears the guys have –the Changmin’s is exaggerated (ref: Nissan Stadium talk), Yoochun’s is an assumption (ref: old interview) and Junsu’s is completely made up (ref: Dean from supernatural). I purposely left out Yunho’s and Jaejoong’s fears for reasons that will be revealed later in the story.

There’s something I’ve been doing throughout the chapters that no-one has picked up on. Hmm… don’t worry it’s nothing major.

[P.S] Hyun Joong = Kim Hyun Joong = Kim Woo Bin’s real name. Yes, I have Kim Woo Bin fever, but can you blame me, the guy has ridiculous charisma as an actor that I can’t help myself. Kim Han Eul in an actress under SM C&C.

The plotline and story is mine. Please do not repost, copy, translate anywhere without consent and plagiarism is a bad thing.

Comments would be lovely and greatly wanted, helps me know what you think. Constructive Criticisms is welcomed, because it helps me improve. Flames … “to each his own”.