Rating: T

Author’s Note: Mistakes will be reviewed in a while, sorry if they are too glaring.

|Three|

Half of what Yunho had told her was insane and completely unbelievable, yet in the weirdest of ways made perfect sense. She was alive for starters when everything pointed to her being dead. The River of Death was rightfully named because of it wild and dangerous currents that killed many either by drowning or throwing them around so violently that it would likely result in death. Yet she had been injured pretty badly, and thrown in its depths to die but there she was alive and breathing with an ankle and foot wrapped in ace bandage as the only remainder of her injuries.

At first she was convinced that he was pulling her leg about healing in 7 days, but him turning on the television and the date hitting her in the face each time she changed the channel, concluded that he was indeed not out of his mind and was telling the truth. The explanation as to how that was possible was brain scrambling scientific babble that sounded close to what her sister would spout whenever she was in her ‘DBSK exists’ moods. Sniggering internally, ah Jinnie if you only knew how right you were about it being real? The descendent of god’s thing was still indulgent rubbish to her, but the existence of people with further enhancements seemed true.

“You’re not freaking out,” Junsu pointed out, to the stoic brunette who had yet to have another outburst other than the 7-day healing proof. It was eerie and uncomfortable.

She released a breath, “Would it change anything if I did?” Because she could call them crazy and run for the hills all she wanted, but it wouldn’t change the fact smacking her in the face. Heck, it was just an addition to the weirdness that was her life –or was seeing as she was declared dead by the NDI. “Do you mind if I get some air? I need to be alone.”

“I’ll help –” Yunho was already on his feet to help her, as he had when he brought her to the dining room, but she dismissed him almost immediately.

“Jebal, I just need a minute to … to wrap my head around this,” limping toward the French doors that opened out the lush green fields of the backyard and took a seat on one of the lounge chairs trying to clear her overloaded head.

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

“I don’t know whether what happened is good or not,” Changmin voiced, after 30 minutes of monitoring Sooyoung who was still on the lounge chair in the back gathering her thoughts, despite all of them listening close to a possible escape out of paranoia. “I mean, isn’t it natural to freak out or something, why is she so damn calm?”

Jaejoong sniggered, “It’s disturbing that we are wishing for her to flip out.” But, he could understand why Changmin was unsatisfied. Her non reaction left a lot unfinished and hanging, which was more dangerous than a complete freak out.

“It’s a lot to take in, we should be patient,” Junsu offered, listening to Sooyoung releasing another frustrated sigh. He could only imagine the number the truth had done to her head.

Retrieving a stray jacket, Yunho joined Sooyoung on the deck silently wrapping the large garment over her shoulders to starve away the cold. He sat beside her, not saying a word offering her silent company, and to assess her condition.

“My dongsaeng… does… was she told I’m dead?” Sooyoung asked after a long comfortable silence, finally able to think more clearly. She couldn’t imagine what her sister was going through, thinking that her only remaining relative was dead, and not even seeing the body for closure. It would be their father’s death all over again.

“Yes,” Yunho answered without hesitation, letting a small silence reign before speaking again, “After hearing the rest from the Professor, I can take you to back to the city.”

She hummed in understanding, as another stretch of silence fell between them. “How much has changed?” she couldn’t help ask; only continuing when the query sounded too vague to be clear. “You said the reason I was recovering here and not a hospital was because of the obvious accelerated healing, but also unknown DNA changes. How much has changed?”

“With Boa, the changes were small –Better reflexes, Better eyes sight and hearing, strength, immunity,” He confessed, it was leading but Yunho wasn’t sure her mind could handle the strain of more information, because it was highly likely that her enhancements would be more advanced than Boa’s.

Her mind may have been working double time, but she didn’t miss the big ‘but’ hanging in the air. “What about with me? Is it much more?” He looked unwilling to tell her, but she needed answers. “Please just tell me, I promise not to break.” It was better to hear everything at one go, than be shocked later on.

“There is a high possibility of there being more changes with you, than there was with Boa,” her eyes were clear and honest, with renewed strength she hadn’t had when they’d first revealed everything to her.

“Will I… will I be like you?” If it were true she would have to live in isolation, and let Jinri think she was dead. Because it seemed the way the five men lived. And even if she wasn’t completely like them, the changes would certainly make life different. Her sister was also very inquisitive and observant and would likely connect the dots –definitely not a way to say thank you to Yunho and the rest by exposing them.

“It’s unlikely,” Yunho answered. Her resignation was glaringly evident and needed assurance, so he added: “Sooyoung-ssi, I can’t imagine how hard this is to wrap your head around. But, we’ll be here to help you through it.”

She gave him a gentle smile, “Thanks.” There was something so calming and reassuring about his presence. “I don’t think I’ve officially said this yet, but thanks for saving me,” burrowing herself into the jacket, feeling much calmer.

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

Jaejoong had heard her stealthily leave her room that morning, to go snooping around the house like she had a right. So there he was waiting, leaning against a wall outside the room she’d just entered, to end her little expedition once she came out. “Find what you looking for?” He asked, startling the woman practically out of her skin, if the rapid staccato of her heart ramming her rib cage was anything to go by. “Or, are you going to tell me you got lost looking for the bathroom?”

“It’s a big house,” she answered not denying or revealing anything. Out of all of them Jaejoong seemed the most hostile toward her and didn’t even attempt to hide it, making overly snide remarks at her over a tense dinner the night before. She could add paranoid stalker to the list of her dislike-at-first-sight reasons.

He sniggered, “worthy of sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong,” sauntering toward her like a big jungle cat stalked its prey.  “What did you think; we were hiding some dark secrets behind locked doors?”

“I don’t think I said that, Jaejoong-ssi,” Sooyoung stood her ground, well aware that he was trying to be menacing and intimidating by hovering over her and using a low tone. But she’d dealt with much scarier characters in her line of work.

She wasn’t easily intimidated, he’d give her that, but he didn’t like losing, “Maybe not but, your actions certainly do. If you wanted a tour of the house, you could have asked. Admit it you think we are some kind of cannibal freaks, who will attack when you least expect it.” Smirking when she raised an eyebrow, but her heart beat a tad too fast to be calm.

“That’s you assuming again,” calming her heart, and holding her head high. “And you know what they say about people who assume.”

“Is there a problem Jaejoong-ah,” Professor Ahn inquired, knowing Jaejoong was up to no good. The hostility was rolling off his broad shoulders in wave, as he loomed over the woman who was doing a lot to stand her ground.

Giving her one last lopsided smile that was meant to be charming, he turned to the Professor. “Not at all, Sooyoung-ssi just got lost and I was setting her straight. Isn’t that right?” turning back to her with the same less that insincere smile, daring her to say otherwise.

My foot, “Right,” giving her a slight tug of the lips, before turning to the older gentlemen and greeting him with a respectful 90 degree bow, “Annyeonghaseyo, I’m Agent Choi Sooyoung. You must be Professor Ahn?” Her smile was more sincere and bright, than the one she gave Jaejoong.

He returned the warm and contagious smile with one of his own, “Indeed I am. It’s nice to finally see you out and about? How do you feel?”

“Much better, thank you,” she decided that she liked the Professor. He was much younger than she’d imagined someone with his title should be, but then again, she had an eighteen year old sister who was graduating university in a couple of months rather than entering, so it shouldn’t be such a big surprise.

“That’s good to hear, but I’m assuming your leg isn’t fully healed?” seeing the ace bandage and support still prominently on her leg, and how she supported most of her weight on her left leg.

She chuckled, “yeah something has to give.”

“Then, Jaejoong can help you to the kitchen for breakfast? I don’t think you would be able to make it there on your own,” the professor knew the two had an obvious dislike for each other, judging by the fake smiles they had exchange in hopes of fooling him into believing otherwise, but if she was going to say with them they had to overcome it.

Sooyoung exclaimed, wondering if she had misheard, “Ne?”

“Wae? ” Jaejoong whined, she probably didn’t weigh a ton or anything especially to him, but come the hell on, he couldn’t stand her.

“You need help and Jaejoong wouldn’t mind assisting, will he?” the older of the two men challenged, waiting for further protest which Sooyoung seemed ready to do, but Jaejoong stifled by taking her in his arms bridal style with a bored sigh.

Jaejoong couldn’t help enjoy the surprised squeak of a sound she released at her sudden action and the increase in her heartbeat, something his intimidation hadn’t achieved. She was lighter than paper in his arms as expected, but very tense and stiff as a board. Perhaps this little inconvenience was to his advantage.

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

“Jinnie, you’ve got to eat Youngie wouldn’t have wanted to see you like this,” Sunny coaxed, pushing the tray toward the teen hoping she’d even have just a bite. Ever since the Agent from the NDI came and told them Sooyoung had been killed, after having been missing for a week and a half, the youngest Choi had been a wreck going through the motions and stages of grief.

A tear fell from her eye at the simple mention of her sister. It hurt so much, especially how abrupt it was. One minute they were debating about DBSK and babysitting, the next minute an agent was at her door telling her, her sister was gone. They hadn’t recovered her body yet, “I’m not hungry,” her voice was hoarse, but loud enough to be heard.

“Jinnie, Jebal,” Hyoyeon pleaded, taking a seat beside the teen putting an arm around her to comfort her. “You have to eat; you can’t keep going like this.”

Her father died, and then her mother died. Sooyoung had been the one to practically raise her, because even if her parents weren’t there her Unnie always was, when she was happy, when she was sad. She missed the silly argument they had before bursting into laughter at the absurdity, she missed sharing a bed and talking into the night about nothing and everything. She just missed her.

“Aw baby,” Hyoyeon sighed, pulling the silently weeping girl into her arms, fighting her own tears. How could she not, her best friend was gone. Someone she grew up with and called her delusional when she said she was ugly, encourage her to chase her dreams and supported her when she got her heart broken –her sister from another mother.

Even though Sunny was pretending to be the strong one of the three, she couldn’t stand the pain she was feeling and seeing from the two women and broke down too,  crawling to the other side of the bed and wrapping her arms around both sharing their grief.

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

“Sorry about Jaejoong, he’s…” Yunho began as they sat on the bench in the backyard, Jaejoong’s open hostility was tiresome, but Sooyoung was a champion not rising to the bait and just smiled a bright smile that just fuelled the older man on.

“An acquired taste? I noticed,” she let out a laugh, because as much as it was taxing having to deal with his snide remarks, she could see it for what it was –A lioness taking care of its cubs. She was a threat and he was protective. “Don’t worry I don’t take it personally.”

Yunho wondered how that could be, but decided to take her words at face value. “May I ask something?” he changed the topic, even though the direction of the conversation was a sensitive one.

“Ask away.”

“Why have you accepted everything so easily and calmly,” it was biting him to know. The change from the night before was alarmingly, because the night before she was coming to terms with it all, reluctant to accept, but today she had genuine smiles for most of them and seem to have accepted everything.

She let a breath go, relaxing further into her seat. “Denial won’t change anything. I’m alive and have a second chance and even though it’s much more different than I imagined, it’s my reality,” her words sober and genuine. “Besides after what professor Ahn told me, I’ve never exactly been normal, have I?” In fact, a lot of things about her made a lot of sense now.

“You seem normal to me,” he contradicted, because she seemed to see herself as abnormal after the Professor’s detailed explanation during breakfast.

“Trust me, I’m not.”

“I don’t understand?” Was what she’d become that bad?

She laughed, “Sometimes I know things, before they happen. Call it a severe case of déjà vu or whatever, but sometimes I feel like I’ve lived through certain situation long before they happen.” She sounded like a rambling idiot, but what she experienced was never easy to explain because it was even harder to understand. Never had she dared to say it out loud for fear of being called a freak or mentally imbalanced, but it felt safe to say it to Yunho, perhaps because he understood what it was like to be different?

“Like premonitions?” he suggested the term, because it sounded a lot like it.

She shook her head, “No. I don’t see or dream about the situation before it happens. It’s like a walk into the room and my body and subconscious take over and carry me through it. Like muscle-memory, only you’ve never experience it before to have muscle memory,” finally glancing at him to gauge whether he understood or believed her, but found confusion. “You know what, forget I said anything. It sounds crazy even saying it.” Crazy was crazy to everyone with no exception, why did she even open in the first place.

It startled her slightly, when he reached over and squeezed her hand gently in assurance. “I don’t think you’re crazy, Sooyoung-ssi,” but could help add, “Perhaps not good at explaining things?” to lighten the mood.

She laughed, “Yah!” able to laugh because the words he’d told her before the joke was sincere. “I’ll have you know I’m known for my clear and easily understood report writing skill, Jung Yunho-ssi.”

“Then it leaves a lot to be desired,” he teased, happy to have her back to the lighter mood she was in earlier.

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

“This could be considered eavesdropping, you know,” Changmin informed his three hyung’s who had taken to using their acute hearing to spy on Yunho and Sooyoung on the porch.

Jaejoong scoffed at the maknae high and mighty attitude, “Says the guy, listening along with us. Don’t pretend to be above it all Changminnie.”

“I’m sorry but, when is Changdola never an entitled jackass,” Yoochun added, ducking when the aforementioned maknae threw a book at his head. “Can’t take what you dish, Minnie-yah.”

Junsu chuckled, “It’s only funny when it’s not him on the receiving end,” happy he wasn’t the target this time round. He was always the target!

“Shut up dolphin,” Apparently the earlier ribbing of Changmin forgotten and all three Junsu who seemed a little to secure in his status.

“Yah!” he protested. He knew his free pass was too good to be true, too bad it was so short lived.

Jaejoong stirred the conversation back to important territory. “So, is our unwanted houseguest crazy or is she what she’s saying possible?”

“You are a living, breathing impossibility, hyung. What’s stopping this from being true?” Yoochun answered. For all extensive purposes the world thought Dong Bang Shin Ki were characters in a old fable, yet the five of them existed. So, why couldn’t the poorly explain condition Sooyoung had, be real?

 “From what she said, I’m guessing it’s some weird form of muscle precognition,” Changmin summarized. But, precognition of the subconscious and muscles, that was some kind of weird.

TBC

Precognition - ability to foresee future: the ability to know what is going to happen in the future, especially if based on extrasensory perception 

The plotline and story is mine. Please do not repost, copy, translate anywhere 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”.