It's a Double Update! (:

Inequality

Chapter 20 – Training, Maybe Not

Before Jungkook had awoken and Dongjun and Luhan finished their conversation in the garden, Akari had been sitting there in the room and sighed for the nth time until she finally noticed that Dongjun and Luhan had left her alone. She looked around for a clock. How long have I sat here for? She looked back at her dongsaeng and gently rubbed his cheeks and she whispered, “I’ll be back. I promise.”

She snuck out before trying to pinpoint Lay and Tao. She had heard they were injured too. She was focusing when she suddenly heard someone’s voice calling her, snapping her out of her thoughts. Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked around, ready to snap at the person who had pulled her out of her concentration.

However, all thoughts of yelling at that person flew out of the window as she spotted Tao and Lay. The two of them were sitting on a bench swing and they made room in the middle for her as she ran over. Akari smiled and ran over and stood in front of both of them. The weariness was evident in their eyes. Their eye bags were more prominent, and both of them were dressed lazily in a muscle shirt and sweats.

Akari opened to which Tao cut her off and said, “Don’t apologize.”

She blinked and Lay nodded in agreement as his younger brother continued talking, “Instead of saying you’re sorry, say thank you instead. Don’t apologize for everything, especially if it’s something like our situation. Don’t be sorry that we had to use effort, be thankful.”

Tao gave her an encouraging smile and said, “We’re all human. None of us are perfect. And besides, we’re practically family now. Live together, die together.”

Akari cracked a small smile before giggling at Tao’s last phrase. She smiled and a soft, almost inaudible, whisper left her lips.

“Thank you Tao. Thank you Lay.”

Tao shook his head and he said, “You’re welcome.”

"So, what made you come over to our humble abode?" Lay asked as Akari sat down between the two. She turned to look at him and said, "Dongjun oppa called me over."

"Oppa?" Tao asked.

Akari nodded and he teased, "I thought you weren't into Korean culture."

Akari pinked and muttered, "He made me."

"Then call us oppa too!"

Akari laughed and asked, "Aren't you guys Chinese?"

Lay raised his eyebrows and asked, "How'd you know?"

"Zhang Yixing. Huang Zhitao. Wu Yifan. And Luhan. Sounds Chinese to me. And besides, I can speak the language."

Akari lowered her head. I only know so many languages because of them.

Tao noticed her sudden drop in mood and ruffled her hair and asked, "Want to come with us to watch the trainees?"

Akari's head shot up and there was hesitation in her eyes and Lay gently patted her shoulder and said, "Don't worry too much. I'm sure they'll greet you nicely."

"And besides, we're here for you," Lay continued. Akari nodded and she asked, "Will you guys be well enough to walk?"

"Sure we are. Kris probably exaggerated our injuries."

Lay stood up first and offered his arm to Akari and asked, "Now then, shall we?"

Akari smiled and accepted his arm as Tao whined and wrapped his arm around Akari as well, sandwiching her between the two males.

*****

Chen walked around aimlessly before stumbling across the training grounds where Xiumin was lecturing a group of trainees. They looked exhausted, yet Xiumin looked as though he didn't break a sweat at all. He smiled and walked up to them, catching the attention of the trainees.

"Chen! What a surprise to see you here," Xiumin called out before giving his dongsaeng a small pat on the back. The trainees all gave him weary smiles and Chen laughed, "Hyung, you looked like you destroyed them."

"It was just basic warm ups though. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"We're dying!" A group within complained. Chen laughed and said, "You're giving them a break right?"

"Yeah. Probably a 15 minute break. Those six are really good. And that boy as well."

Xiumin pointed to the same six that had stuck around since the beginning and then Chen's gaze was directed to the small child, perhaps not even 13 yet, who was meditating in the middle of the field. There was a clear distinction between him and the rest, his energy level was outrageously high. And for Chen to say that, it meant a lot.

"What's his name?"

Xiumin shrugged and looked sad and he said, "To be honest, I don't even know... Sojin found him unconscious when she was patrolling the outskirts of town. He was in rags and completely beaten up. But.. Sojin said his ability was strong. If it would awaken that is."

Chen raised an eyebrow and asked, "His power hasn't activated?"

Xiumin shook his head when suddenly there was a clamor from the students as they all stood up and bowed.

Chen and Xiumin glanced over and noticed Akari had arrived with Tao and Lay.

She blinked at the greeting when suddenly she noticed it, that abnormal flow of energy radiating off one person. Her eyes narrowed as she pinpointed the origin of the leakage.

Her movements were calculated and determined as she walked up to the small boy. The boy stared at her in awe and then he smirked before rushing towards her.

Akari dodged and tripped him over and asked with a smile, "How did you do that?"

"Are you really asking me this?"

She nodded and then flicked his forehead. Suddenly the boy dissolved and instead V appeared in his place. V chuckled and said, "Shadows are amazing."

Akari shook her head as everyone smiled in amusement. She glanced around and made eye contact with a short boy with big eyes. She blinked before breaking eye contact. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now that she was out here.

"V was mingled in the entire time..?" Xiumin randomly blurted out. He was surprised. He didn't even expect it. V laughed before bounding up to his hyung and slinging an arm around him.

"Surprise surprise!"

"Stop it Taehyung." Xiumin whined. V in return whined and pouted, "But Minseokie hyung."

Xiumin swatted his dongsaeng's hand away, only causing the auburn-haired boy to laugh and run to his noona's side. He wrapped an arm around her waist and Chen felt that familiar feeling gnawing his stomach again. He grimaced, it seemed as though every time he saw someone go near Akari he felt irritated.

These thoughts of mine aren't helping me at all. I'm not even—

"Chen."

No response. His thoughts continued to fly on a rampage as Kris looked at the younger male in concern as the sound of thunder rumbling in the air became more evident.

"Jongdae!"

The sound of her voice shocked him as much as her calling his real name. He glanced at her and mumbled, "Sorry."

He lowered his head and pulled his hoodie up before zipping up the jacket.

"I'm going to go for a run."

The atmosphere dropped as Chen left. There was something clearly bothering the boy and he didn't even know what it was. Akari watched his retreating figure and concern clouded her eyes.

V noticed and gently patted her head and said, "Want to check on training?"

Akari didn't respond and V gently flicked her forehead and asked, “Noona, are you okay?”

Akari blinked and looked up at him, his warm brown eyes were filled with concern and she shook her head and said, “I'm fine.”

V nodded and asked, “So want to check on their training?”

“I think I'd rather go check on Chen... he's been so out of it since this morning. Did something happen?”

She gently broke out of V's hold and ran off in the same direction as Chen, causing a low chuckle to be heard from Kris. V turned and asked, “Do you know what's going on with Chen hyung, Kris hyung?”

Kris nodded and he said, “I think only Akari can snap him out of it though.”

V blinked and pouted, and whined, “Chen hyung can't keep noona to himself though. Noona belongs to all of us.”

Kris looked at him and raised an eyebrow and asked, “Do you-”

“Stupid Chen hyung, if you like noona you have to go through me first,” V muttered before chasing off after them. Kris laughed and Xiumin looked at him like he's gone mad. Kris gave him a small smile and said, “You'll see hyung, you'll see.”