"I've turned into a ing meat sack." 

"Kibum!" 

A bewildered Kibum was staring straight back at Jinki. Kibum's chest was heaving. He was obviously not used to using his limbs, and it rendered him winded and tired. Jinki stared at his friend, tall and slim with a perfectly proportioned face. Kibum's voice, which always contained a trouble-making lilt and rebellious timbre, matched the glint that reflected in his sharp gray eyes. Jinki was surprised Kibum knew who he was right away, and seemed to be taking the transformation much better than Jinki was. Jinki could also tell immediately who Kibum was. He matched every color his voice had and his attitude was almost tangible. Jinki however, hadn't spoken much yet and didn't think he had any uniqueness to him, that would be an obvious identifyer. 

"Kibum ah, how did you know it was me?" Jinki asked, still scanning his friend up and down, jealous that Kibum's legs were much longer and thinner than his was, not that Jinki knew of beauty standards by any means. He just wished that he were a bit more, elegant and svelt, so he could be absolutely perfect for his soulmate. Jinki was thin and did not have the S-line Kibum did. The only truly substantial part of Jinki were his thighs, strong and muscular. He believed there was nothing especially unique about himself. 

"Well, the guardian, when he visited me, said someone else was transforming today. Curiosity got the best of me, and I really hoped it was you. And here you are!" Kibum exclaimed, wiggling his thin fingers in excitement. 

"Well, here I am. Do I look okay?" Jinki asked, for the first time feeling shy. 

"Minho will love you! You're perfect!" Kibum yelled at the top of his pumping lungs. Jinki chuckled, shocked at everything around him. Even his own lyrical laugh caused his crescent eyes to widen. 

"Have you done it yet?" Jinki asked, ruffling his soft locks, giving a Kibum a questioning look. 

"Done what?" Kibum asked, nervously. His heart rate sped up a bit. He knew what Jinki was referring to. 

"Talked to Jonghyun. Have you?" Jinki repeated, this time more assertively. 

"N...not yet." Kibum answered, embarassed. 

"The path will connect and you have to introduce yourself. I just finished talking to Minho." Jinki reassured Kibum, with the instinct to pat him on the shoulder. His human instincts were kicking in and the simple touch was odd. Kibum was alive and it was electric. Jinki wondered what it would be like when he held hands with Minho. 

"You talked to him? He talked back? You heard his voice? Did he believe you?" Kibum asked rapidly, out of breath from Jinki putting his hand on his shoulder. Kibum wondered if Jonghyun would want to comfort him. 

"In time, he will really understand, but I heard him and he heard me. I also felt what he was feeling, but it was amplified. I felt it even deeper. I really felt like he was with me." Jinki sighed as he finally caught his breath. He nodded at Kibum in reassurance. 

"I'm really ing scared, hyung." Kibum sighed, looking down at his large, pale hands. 

"So was I. I still am. But think about it. When we meet them, we will be so happy that all of the struggles and insecurities we are experiencing now will be worth it. Always think about Jonghyun. He needs you as much as you need him. You are his soulmate as much as he is yours." Jinki explained, once again putting his hand on Kibum's shoulder. It felt warm and much more familiar than the first time he had human contact. 

Kibum nodded in response. He then looked around the room. Figuring it would just be easier to sit where nothing could get in the way, he settled on sititng in the middle of the room they were in. He figeted a while and then gave Jinki an apologetic look. 

"Take your time." Jinki urged Kibum.

Finally, Kibum felt pretty ready. He adjusted his pants by tugging them up at the knees. He felt like his clothes were constricting him and he felt water droplets form on his forehead. Jinki told him he had to calm down a bit. There was no use in Kibum to working himself up. Jinki could not talk to Jonghyun for him. Kibum sat on his ankles, his knees folded underneath him, shins touching the floor. Kibum nervously ran his hands back and forth over his thighs. Jinki helped him through some deep breathing, but the air felt almost too heavy for Kibum to take in. A few more minutes passed, and Kibum's heart rate had slowed a bit. Jinki moved back a bit, so Kibum could have the space he needed. Kibum relaxed his eyes and held them closed. The room was absolutely silent. 

Inside of Kibum's mind, it was dark. The tunnel that Kibum could see within his own mind was not illuminating. Completely black. Nothing was happening. Kibum was beginning to get anxious again, worrying that Jonghyun was blocking him out. Jinki began to worry, that perhaps Jonghyun's ability to block Kibum out was more voluntary and will-driven than Minho's. Maybe Jonghyun had now developed the means to block any voices, any thoughts from his mind, in order to keep selling miracle pills and surviving. 

Kibum's forehead had deep creases of concern and worry. There was so much waiting. Then, all of a sudden a faint blue light appeared. Kibum gasped at the sight. The blue line began to travel extremely slowly. The line moved at the same speed for a while, until a really small white light could be seen. He was getting close. As the line picked up a bit of speed, Kibum saw an image grow larger and clearer. He could see a large grassy field, with some sparsely spaced trees. The sky was an ominous blue-grey. The clouds were a dusty characoal color, looking more like smoke across the sky, than clouds. Kibum was so entranced by the outdoor landscape, that the pain that shot through his head completely threw him off guard. The line had finally connected and Kibum had a more clear image of the area. He was feeling Jonghyun. 

"!" Jonghyun exclaimed, holding his forehead. Jonghyun felt shaky and nauseated. He laid himself next to the base of the tree he was standing on, hoping the scent of the grass and the air would whip away this sick feeling. His backpack, full of homework he had never completed leaned against the tree trunk. Kibum assumed that Jonghyun was supposed to be in class, since no one else was around. 

Both Kibum's and Jonghyun's heads throbbed angrily as their minds continued to connect. Jonghyun was sweating bullets at this point, and could not muster enough energy to get up from his place in the grass. His head was spinning, he felt trapped within his own compressing body. Jonghyun felt as though he were on fire on the inside and frozen on the outside. His limbs felt numb, his chest was heaving, he could barely see. There was something wrong. Very wrong. 

Jinki was now waving his arms in front of his best friend, trying to snap Kibum out of it. Kibum was in the same state of pain, numbness, heat, and nausea as Jonghyun was, feeling every single thing Jonghyun felt. Kibum's hands no longer rested on his thighs, but were clenched at his sides, so tightly, that his fingernails were causing the bottom of his palms to bleed. Jinki did not have much problem connecting to Minho, but Kibum was having a terror of a time. 

Inside of Kibum's mind, the blue path was flickering violently. The blackness that was surrounding Kibum and Jonghyun's mind spaces was turning a severe red color, similar to how Kibum became furiously red when he was just a young conscience during Jonghyun's childhood beating. Kibum was crying violently, huge sobs were wracking his body, his shudders felt more like earthquakes. Kibum was so overwhelmed, in so much pain, that he had no energy to feel surprised at the first tears he was shedding. Jinki wanted to run out and tell someone, anyone what was happening, however, Jinki was still in a weakened state. His legs were rubbery and new. He also did not have any idea where he would go to find anyone, so he decided to stand by his best friend and try to help him. 

With Jonghyun writhing on the ground and Kibum now doing the same, they could not have a true conversation. Jinki, not knowing what else to do, grabbed Kibum with all the strength he found within himself and pulled him into his lap, trying to avoid being hurt by Kibum's violent movements. Jinki held Kibum face up, around the shoulders. He could feel Kibum's pounding heartbeat. Jinki tried to smooth back Kibum's hair and rub away the creases on his forehead. Jinki could feel how hot Kibum's skin was. Jinki felt absolutely powerless. 

Kibum was holding his breath, trying his hardest to send out at least a word to Jonghyun. Jonghyun of course, felt Kibum's straining and his head compacted with even more pain. Eventually, the two soulmates' reached their limit, and both passed out, the blue pathway shutting down immediately. Both minds went blank, both bodies went limp. Jinki felt Kibum become dead weight. 

"Kibum, no. Wake up, please. Please. You have to wake up right now." Jinki pleaded out loud, his voice sounding small and hoarse and helpless. Jinki began to cry, not able to contain his worry, but he stoppped himself. There was something he could do. He could try to protect Jonghyun. 

Jinki sat up a bit strighter, with Kibum's heavy head balancing on his sturdy thighs. He closed his eyes, slowing his breath down and began to focus in. Quickly, the blue line appeared and began traveling down the dark tunnel that Jinki had experienced before. As the blue line reached the white illumination at the end of the tunnel, the setting came more into focus. Minho was hiding out in an unused classroom. Seconds later, Minho could feel his mind moving and connecting to the same strange source he talked to that day. 

"Minho? Minho. It's Jinki." Jinki communicated, without any explanation. Minho could not believe that this was happening a second time. 

"My conscience..." Minho said in disbelief. 

"Yes. I am sorry our conversation ended so quickly before hand. I need to tell you something. Something extremely important. If you don't believe any of what I said before, I'll explain later, but this is crucial and you need to listen." Jinki demanded, more forceful than he wanted to sound.

"O..Okay..." Minho replied, unsure of what to do, say, or think. 

"My best friend, Kibum is also a conscience. He became a human today as well. His soulmate is Jonghyun. While he was trying to talk to Jonghyun for the first time, something went very wrong. Since you felt what I was feeling and I felt what you felt when I talked to you, I know Jonghyun and Kibum were feeling the same thing. They could not connect well and it became violent. Kibum is very warm and is not awake. It was too much for him. I am not exactly sure where Jonghyun is, but he is in the same state as Kibum, so you need to find him and bring him to a safe space. I think Jonghyun has the ability to block out much more than the average person, and this has caused them both unbelievable pain. Please, Minho. Find Jonghyun and I will explain more later." Jinki explained, panting after saying all of that without much of a breath. 

"I'll find him. Is Kibum okay?" Minho asked frantically, with genuine concern. Jinki was baffled by Minho's kindness and acceptance. Jinki's heart pumped a bit faster after that.

"I don't know yet. But he will be. Thank you." Jinki sniffled, overwhelmed. 

"It's going to be okay. I'll find Jonghyun. Do you think it is alright for us to keep talking?" Minho asked. 

Jinki was stunned. Minho wanted to keep talking to him. Minho believed what he was saying. Minho wasn't rejecting him.

"I'd like that." Jinki admitted shyly. Both Minho and Jinki felt blush creep onto their cheeks. Minho started his hunt for Jonghyun, running at full speed to every spot he thought Jonghyun might be. Minho looked high and low for Jonghyun. Although Jinki could not see much of what surrounded Minho, he could still feel the younger's frustration and disappointment at not being able to find the boy Minho cherished the most. Minho finally reached the back doors to the school. Minho exited the school, panting and panicking. He sprinted towards the large field with the sparse trees. Minho stopped in his tracks at the sight of the sickly Jonghyun, who laid in a contorted, unnatural position. Minho felt tears prick at the sides of his wide eyes, and so did Jinki. 

"You found him!" Jinki exclaimed, also panicking.

"What happened to them?" Minho asked, voice cracking, as he cradled Jonghyun's head. 

"I believe Jonghyun is very much in control of what he can block out. Kibum could not make the connection completely, but got close. There's a lot of raw energy flowing between a person and their conscious, especially when it is time to make your soulmate aware of your existence, and there is that human to human connection. They were trying so hard to connect, but Jonghyun's mind would not fully allow it. That's really dangerous. I don't know where he got that ability or how long he has had it." Jinki replied. It wasn't much of an explanation, since Jinki was not an expert by any means and was puzzling this out for himself. 

"Jonghyun hyung...he...does things. He sacrifices a lot for our family. Sometimes it's easier not to think." Minho said, continuing to look down at Jonghyun's face. 

"Of course. Minho, I do not think Jonghyun is a bad person. Neither does Kibum. And neither of us think you are a bad person either. Sometimes there are things that need to be done. Of course, me and Kibum always try to help you stay safe, whether it is when you are awake, or asleep and dreaming. I know why you do what you do and now it is only easier for you to seek guidance from me. Unfortunately, we need to help with Jonghyun, so Kibum can meet him and they can connect. Will you do that for me? Make sure Jonghyun rests and doesn't work or sell anything just so his block outs are not as strong? Please. Consciences usually don't ask for anything, but just this once." Jinki said.

"I will. I didn't expect a conscience to be so understanding." Minho mumbled as he wiped his tears on his sleeve.

"I'm a human just like you now, and each moment I am getting more familiar with how we operate. I am feeling and thinking and sensing and I am now living as a human just the way you and Jonghyun are, so how can I not be understanding of someone who is the same as me and someone who I cannot wait to meet? Believe me, consciences are not saints. Kibum has quite the mouth on him and breaks a fair amount of rules. I also make plenty of mistakes." Jinki replied to Minho's compliment, a little embarassed about the "cannot wait to meet" comment he made. 

"I can't wait to meet you either." Minho replied, shyly, feeling extremely silly. While Minho was wallowing in self-embarassment, and Jinki was chuckling, Jonghyun began to stir, his eyes fluttering open. Minho looked down, shocked and relieved that Jonghyun was awake. When Jinki felt Minho's happiness and heard the string of thank you's and thank god's, Jinki sighed in relief. Kibum was now cooling down and stirring a bit as well. 

Jonghyun looked up at Minho with glassy, dilated, red eyes. Jonghyun cried out and weakly grabbed Minho's significantly larger hand and held it. Minho brushed back Jonghyun's hair with his free hand and felt his forehead. Minho nodded, once again relieved that Jonghyun was slowly coming back. Jonghyun looked around a bit, from the safety of Minho's legs, his large almond eyes scanning his surroundings. Although Jinki could feel the existence of Minho at all times and feel what he was feeling and all, he wanted to disconnect to give Minho time to help Jonghyun and process it all. 

"We can talk later, Minho. I'm going to let you take care of Jonghyun and let you rest. Sorry about the discomfort from connecting, I heard it gets easier." Jinki said. 

"It wasn't as bad as earlier. Thank you for telling me about Jonghyun, I don't know what I would have done. I was also wondering, when will I be able to initiate a conversation?" Minho asked, eagerly. 

"I honestly don't know the answer to that or if there is one. I'll find out. You have the same abilities to feel what I feel when we are talking, so I don't see why you really could not initiate a connection. I promse, I'll ask." Jinki smiled, over the moon that Minho wanted to talk to him. Minho nodded in response.

"I hope Kibum gets better soon." Minho quickly added, not wanting to forget.

"Thank you." Jinki said, touched by Minho's sincerity.  

Jonghyun, more coherent after a few minutes of waking up, looked quite puzzled. Jonghyun tugged at Minho's hand to get his attention. 

"Who are you talking to? Who is Kibum?" Jonghyun asked, the name Kibum, for some reason, feeling very natural coming out of his mouth. Minho's eyes widened. He must have been talking out loud, rather than just thinking. 

"I can't really explain it, but you'll meet him soon. Sorry for the talking out loud, my mind was just really connected to something else at the moment." Minho said sheepishly. 

Jinki rolled his eyes at Minho's corny joke, before allowing the blue line to fade. Afterwards, Jinki and Minho both took to taking care of their best friends, but not without thinking of each other constantly. 

A/N: <3