Inequality

Chapter 23 – Because We're Two Sides of the Same Coin

“She's asleep,” Luhan commented as he came back. Dongjun nodded and he shifted a bit so she was resting on his shoulders and he glanced at Jungkook, who in turn glanced at Luhan and the eldest male asked, “Shall we talk now?”

Dongjun shook his head and asked, “Let's get her to bed first, she's probably exhausted from everything that has happened these past few days.”

Luhan nodded and he gestured for the two to follow as Jungkook lifted his noona easily. Dongjun sat there for a moment longer as he felt the same throbbing pain in his head and the ticking noise that resounded in his ears, and only his; reminding him of the horrible curse that came along with being the first to hold this power.

It's okay, because we have hope now.

Jungkook glanced back at his hyung and pain gripped his chest and he looked away and back at the sleeping figure of his noona and he mumbled, “We're sorry.”

Luhan heard the short apology and he asked, “To who?”

Jungkook looked up, not surprised at all and he answered softly, “To noona.”

The older male saw the pain and sorrow in Jungkook's eyes and he closed them momentarily and he mumbled, “If only things could change.”

After the duo had placed Akari in a spare bedroom, they walked back to Dongjun, who was joined with Chen and V. V looked even more distressed than Dongjun and Jungkook did and Chen was confused. He glanced at Luhan and the older male shrugged. He was as clueless as Chen was for once.

“So,” Dongjun started. The younger two glanced at him and they said, “Wait.”

V and Jungkook exchanged glances and Jungkook's gaze rested on Chen's.

“Chen hyung, if it hurts, tell us.”

“Hu-”

Before Chen could even question what was going on, Jungkook's eyes glowed silver and Chen felt as though he was being drawn into the gaze. To those that weren't part of the memory seeking process, it just looked like an intense staring contest, but in reality, Chen was locked in a standstill as he went through his entire existence with Jungkook.

Jungkook and Chen stood together in a different plane as scenes of Chen's past resurfaced. Family and love, sorrow and anguish, anger and rage, acceptance and reluctance. I was right, Chen hyung is very much like Dongjun hyung. Although the only difference is that Chen hyung has taken in everything in a positive light and allowed it to let him grow, whereas Dongjun hyung has taken everything in indifferently and learned from his experiences, but he's still trapped in the past. They really are two sides of the same coin.

After going through the distant past, they came closer to the top soil and Jungkook almost wanted to cry at the past four years of Chen's life. Chen was always happy and upbeat, but behind that exterior was a young boy who was craving for a family like before, people who actually cared for each other. Finding the Exo members, or at least Tao and Kris, brought him closer to that family like existence, but he was still searching for it, that person that would accept him regardless.

And then his first taste of war. Their old hide out, before they discovered the underground city of Busan. Chen had been separated from his other friends, and in the end, only made it into Busan because of Xiumin and Luhan who were patrolling that day. From there, it was Chen learning to trust people again and learning the truth of their situation. Chen's determination and his positivity shown light and gave hope to the people of the underground city of Busan as he was reunited, by Fate perhaps, to his Exo members, and meeting Luhan, Lay, and Xiumin helped him create a system for their safe haven as they planned to possibly take back South Korea for themselves.

Jungkook stopped there and cut it off, he knew more than he needed to by now and Chen stumbled backwards, only for Luhan to catch him and he mumbled, “What just happened?”

“I experienced your life.”

Chen raised an eyebrow and he grumbled, “Invasion of privacy much.”

“You could have kicked me out if you really wanted to, but you didn't, which I do appreciate.”

Chen didn't even know who the boy was and he felt slightly irritated and Jungkook smirked, “Jeon Jungkook, noona's favorite dongsaeng, or maybe second to Taehyung hyung; but regardless, I'm the only one with noona's blood.”

V snorted and he laughed, “You haven't changed at all.”

Jungkook smiled and asked, “Did you expect me to?”

“No.”

Jungkook glanced back at Chen and said, “Nice to meet you hyung.”

Luhan and Chen exchanged clueless glances and Chen asked, “So.. what's going on?”

V and Jungkook opened their mouths, only to stop upon hearing Dongjun cough. The two younger males stopped and glanced over to their hyung and he gave them a weary smile and said, “I'll explain.”

“Hyung-”

“I'm going to die soon,” Dongjun bluntly admitted. Chen's and Luhan's eyes widened and he put a hand up before they could question anything and he said, “I'm going to assume by now that you know they do all sorts of experiments and things to us.

“They've recently attempted to do extractions, which I'm sure you know normally don't end up so well,” Dongjun continued. He lifted his left arm and pulled down the sleeve, revealing the scars that crossed each other at almost every area possible. There were burn marks, and then he lifted the shirt over his head, revealing the lone jagged scar that marked his flawless skin and he said, “Except for this time. They were attempting to see if they could use Negation in order to prolong life as they do with healer's and their ability. They've already managed to create some sort of physical form using the healer's essences and turned that into an edible... thing, for the lack of terms, that allows them to heal faster.”

Dongjun gently touched the scar on his chest and he had a small smile on his face and said, “They failed to extract it, but they did end up causing some long term damage. Negation is much like Akari's and V's wings. It has a mind of its own.”

Jungkook and V turned around in surprise and V declared, “You never told us that!”

Jungkook nodded in agreement and Dongjun sighed, “I didn't know about it until recently. It was when I first met Chen.”

“Me?”

Dongjun nodded and he said, “Negation isn't a power I was born with, it was something I acquired from hanging around Akari so much.”

He sighed and he said, “Without it, I'm sure Akari would have drained my entire life energy by now.”

“Wait, hyung,” Jungkook interrupted, “Then what power were you born with?”

Dongjun smiled and his gaze switched from Jungkook to Chen and Chen mumbled, “Lightning.”

“Bingo.”

Jungkook narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows and asked, “Wait, I don't get it. You've told us you were going to die soon, but why?”

“If I want my body to survive, I will inevitably be swallowed by Negation. As I've said,” Dongjun continued explaining with much difficulty, “Negation has its own mind. Although it's much nicer and considerate than the 'Wings' in general. It knows I'm dying, and as much as I hate to say this, we're tied together. I can't pass it down to my children, not like I'll have any of course, like you can pass down other powers.”

Dongjun paused and he mumbled, “Although the inheritance rate is only like 50% to obtain a power,” the other four males glanced at each other, all with the same question: How in the world does he know this? Dongjun cleared his throat and he said, “I can willingly give away Negation though. But it won't accept just anyone though. I've tried passing it to Jungkook and V before and I failed miserably, and each attempt wears me down.”

Chen listened and he asked again, “So... Care to explain to me why this is important pertaining to me. I mean,” he saw the looks Jungkook and V gave him and he continued to elaborate, “I understand how this is bad for us, and you, in general, but how does it pertain to me?”

“I want you to be my successor for Negation.”

“Wait, what? Isn't that the reason why you're dying though!?”

“No you dimwit,” Luhan scolded. Chen cowered and the younger two sighed and Dongjun gave him a small smile and he said, “I'm dying because I've been poisoned by them. And the poison is slowly causing my abilities to deteriorate, and it's also affecting my body as well.”

Chen's eyes widened and he asked, “But why me? I don't get it.”

“We're two sides of the same coin Jongdae.”

Chen froze at the sound of his real name and Dongjun continued, “And just like me, you love her too.”

“I...”

“Even if you're not certain now, I can see it.” Dongjun's eyes were closed, and he could foresee it, the future pertaining to just Chen and he let out a soft smile, “Please Chen, just... hear me out completely.”

“But I...” Chen struggled to find the words. I'm not a hero. I'm not someone like Dongjun who could fight. I can't even control my own powers. Heck, I can't even control my emotions, the moment I think of Aka- Chen froze and he realized it, It's always been Akari. But do I love her? I don't even know her that well. But that undeniable attraction I have towards her...

“You have time, you-”

“We don't have time hyung, we don't.” Jungkook firmly stated. His strong gaze swept over the group and he said, “If we had time, we would have waited for Chen hyung to have noticed and culture his love for noona! But we don't have the time for that!”

“If we risk it though, hyung will die,” V softly mumbled. Everyone looked at him and he said, “I don't want to lose anyone anymore. Isn't there another option hyung?!”

V looked at Dongjun desperately and he said, “Even if your transfer goes successfully, you'll still die!”

Chen and Luhan looked over and Luhan said, “If both options end with you dying, then why? Why do you bother doing this then, Dongjun? And if this is the secret... isn't it better to tell Akari instead of hurting her even more from letting her find out later?”

“I can't.”

The answer was almost immediate, and they didn't understand why, but upon seeing Dongjun look so helpless and hopeless, they didn't say anything and waited for him to continue.

He looked away and he bit his lower lip before lowering his head. It was almost inaudible, but the next few words that slipped from his mouth made everyone freeze.

“Because without Negation, Akari will die too.”