Dong Ho

My mind turned blank. There was a girl walking past me. I was thinking about which ice cream flavor I was getting and this girl- it was like she was a major distraction (which she wasn’t. Her clothes weren’t even revealing of  any sort). As soon as she made her way past me, my eyes wandered over to Jun, who seemed to be looking at her.

What was up with him? He looked so worried when she fell. Maybe he isn’t as bad as I make him out to be. It’s probably my jealousy acting up. It’s all fact though. He replaced me in Pollux. I left by choice. Why was I so... cautious with him?

 I notice Jun’s eyes shift to me quickly and I turn to look away, catching a glimpse of the girl that just walked past me. Was she a fan of Pollux by any chance? She looked familiar, but there wasn’t a name that came to mind when I saw her. I noticed how she glanced at us a few times, her eyes clouded with the same confusion I felt.

There was Jun who looked like he knew her. Of course there was Xander who seemed to be talking to himself and taking photos of the tubs of ice cream. Forget about Xander.

“Guys, what are we getting?!” Xander questioned, looking at each tub of ice cream and pressing his face against the glass display. “There’s so many flavors to choose from! Should I get one of each flavor? I don’t think Kibum would mind if I used the credit card he gave me. Wait- can I even use it?”

I was barely listening to Xander and by the looks of it, there was one thing Jun and I held in common. We simply didn’t care about Xander at the moment. We were preoccupied with the girl that had just walked past us.

I got into the line with Xander and Jun, with Xander claiming that he’ll treat us. The girl received her ice cream and walked away with her friend, as she walked past me- my mind went blank again. I look behind me to catch one last glimpse of her and I notice that Jun has his eyes on her too. Maybe she is fan of Pollux after all. It seems as though Jun knows her.

The three of us spend the day together and it’s safe to say that I’m officially annoyed by Xander. Xander had been talking nonstop and I swear I’ve never felt closer to Jun. The both of us practically want to duct tape his mouth and drop him off in a trash can, but the only problem we have is finding duct tape in the middle of Chinatown.

“Dong Ho, Jun; let’s take a selfie together!” Xander squeals in Korean and I notice a few people looking in our direction. I was embarrassed and irritated. It was already six at night and we had yet to eat dinner yet. Xander notices how irritated the both of us are and pouts. “Just one last selfie, then we’ll get dinner okay?”

“You better me treating us.” I grumble and Xander nods as he pulls us all in for last selfie. Afterwards, I breathe a sigh of relief and we begin to look around for a restaurant to eat at. We were in Chinatown for the love of food. We would have no problem getting around especially since Xander and I could speak Chinese (well- I’m sure they understand English too, which Xander is fluent in).

We pile into a restaurant nearby and I’m proud of my Chinese skills. We get a table for three and Xander gives me a thumbs up, surprised that I still remembered Chinese. I remembered how to speak it, but the characters were a little hazy in my head, so Xander had to translate the whole menu for us. We ended up ordering whatever he was.

“I need to use the bathroom. Nature’s calling.” Xander winces a bit and I scoot away from him and shoo him off. I don’t intend to eat with his poisonous gas in the air. “Excuse me.”

You are excused.

It was awkward to be alone with Jun. I hated to be alone with him, mainly because there was something about him. I feel like I should remember why I’m so wary of him, but I can’t and it makes me act cautiously around him. He’s playing with the pocket watch again and after a while he looks up at me and I nearly spit the water I’ve been drinking, out.

“This pocket watch is important to you.” It should’ve been a question, but it sounded more like a statement on his part.

“I wouldn’t say important. I didn’t even know I had it in the first place.” I answer, trying to act casual. He drops the pocket watch on the table and I flinch.

“I’m sure you didn’t.” There wasn’t any sarcasm or doubt in his voice. In fact, it seemed as though he knew I wouldn’t have. “If you had to choose, would you rather risk your life to protect something important to you or would you rather give up the something to protect your own life?”

This question was- not what I was expecting. I lifted my cup of water up to take a sip and I notice that Jun is concentrated on me. He’s waiting for an answer and I need time to think.

“What would that something be?” I question. “I guess it would really depend on what that something is.” He smiles a little bit and I know it isn’t a friendly smile. It’s as if he knows something.

“I don’t have anything in mind.”

He’s a liar. I can feel it.

“I was just wondering. What you would do, Dong Ho?” He uses the ends of his chopsticks to tap the pocket watch and isn’t even really looking at me anymore. He continues to tap the pocket watch and I feel uncomfortable watching him do so.

“I mean, I can’t think of anything important enough to give my life up for it.” I answer honestly. “As of right now, I think I’d choose to protect my own life.  I guess that’s why I quit being an idol in a first place. I wasn’t physically in shape and I got hurt often. Obviously I didn’t want to die at the age of twenty, so I decided to leave. I think protecting my own life is a priority.”

A smile crosses his face and he picks up the pocket watch and places it into his pocket. He leans back on the chair.

“A smart decision, huh? I have to thank you a lot though.” I didn’t like the way his voice sounded. “Really, if it wasn’t for you. I wouldn’t be here today.”

“Why do you keep saying things like that?” I question, curious for his answer. He leans forward and places his hands on the table, tapping the table as if he was thinking.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“By then, everything will come together and you will remember.”

Alexander

I leaned against the bathroom stall, ignoring the fact that it probably wasn’t the cleanest thing to lean on. I pulled the Bluetooth device from my ear and I headed out of the stall and washed my hands, frowning at the conversation I had just heard.

I wasn’t completely stupid. I’m not as oblivious as other people make me out to be. I could sense the tension between them today and definitely during the whole episode at the ice cream shop. The atmosphere was definitely odd around them and when the girl came into the shop, it changed and got even heavier.

Jun, he wasn’t the cute maknae everybody thought him to be. Perhaps, originally he was. However, the time traveler- that was related to him obviously wasn’t. Perhaps the people of Dong Ho’s time weren’t the friendliest of people. A huge question entered my mind and I began to fear for Kibum and the others in that sacred haven.

Why exactly, are people traveling back in time?

I was going to find the girl. I was going to find her and ask her these questions. Dong Ho, I knew, was oblivious to all of these happenings even though he was one of the time travelers. Jun, on the other hand,  was a different case. He knew everything. From start to finish and asking him, I feared would put us into danger.

To be honest, Jun was scary. He’s equipped with all this knowledge no one knows about and I’m sure things won’t end well. I can very clearly define the two sides playing with time here. Dong Ho’s and Jun’s side.

Whichever side the girl was on, I would have to choose her side. Obviously, after I get some answers, she would force me into joining her side. Everything comes at a price. I wipe my hands on some paper towels and leave the bathroom, returning to the table with a smile plastered onto my face.

I had a towel wrapped around my waist as I stepped out of the shower and I was startled when I saw someone sitting on the counter next to the sink. He looks at me unamused and I have no choice but to look at him the same way.

“I hate you, you know that?” He states as I take other towel and dry the upper half of my body up along with my hair. I manage to send him a smile and shrug.

“You might’ve mentioned it a few times.” I say jokingly and he glares at me. I open the bathroom door to let the steam escape. “Anyways, I’m assuming you’re here because you’ve-.”

“Yes, I’ve finished the research.” He says irritably. “When have I ever visited you with empty hands? Kibum has been nagging me all day to do this and that and construct projects here and there. Worse of all, all the other guys aren’t helping.”

“Alright, I’ll give Kibum a call to tell him to cut you some slack. I’ll also contact the other guys and tell them to stop dilly dallying, okay?” I pull a white T-shirt on and walk out of the bathroom. “Don’t come out yet.” I hear an irritated sigh and I add, “unless you want to see your hyung semi of course.” He immediately changes his attitude and I snicker. “Alright, you can come out now.”

I had my boxers on and I was now looking for a pair of pants I could wear. Slipping into a pair of jeans, he sits on my bed.

“I found out which high school the girl attends and where she lives. Do you think you can remember it?” I nod and he proceeds. He was never a man of paper anyways. He was cautious of evidence like this and preferred to keep things under control. “Now, the most important part is why you’re looking for her. Could you please explain to me why?”

“Kibum hasn’t told you about it yet?” I asked surprised. He shakes his hand and crosses his arms, waiting to be filled in. “There’s a potential threat headed our way.” I hold my hand out. “By the way, where’s the necklace I asked you to bring?”

He pulls a white pouch out of his pocket and tosses it towards me. I catch it easily and stuff it into my pocket.

“All in all, there are time travelers in this current time. I’m curious about their motive. It seems as though there’s one party trying to hide and the other party that’s seeking. I’m afraid they might turn towards us for a place to hide.” He tilts his head to the side, confused.

“Aren’t we over thinking it? We can keep them out and reject them.” He states and I shake my head in disproval.

“That’s not true. We can’t. Kibum and I created the place to be accepting and to serve as a haven for everyone and anyone.” I tell him. “We can’t just limit it to a certain type of people.”

“Xander, tell me honestly...  who are you going to give the necklace to?” He was probably suspicious.

“To a time traveler.” I admit.

“What is wrong with you? You can’t do that!” He exclaims, jumping up. “You were just talking about how they could be a potential threat towards us and now you’re thinking of giving them a literal ticket to Ne-.”

“This is a conflict I want to resolve to be honest. I can feel uneasiness from half way around the Earth. It’s a burden to me you know.” I try to reason with him, but he’s appalled and fired up.

“Listen Xander, this isn’t a conflict for you to solve.” He hisses and holds his hand out for the necklace back, but I push his hand away. “You can be this selfish. If they come in, they might destroy the place and the people who looked at it as a secret haven- would have nothing left!”

“No, they will. I’ll do as I want. I’ll let them in and I’ll make sure they won’t destroy it. Were you only able to get a hold of one necklace?”

“Obviously. They’re not exactly easy to make.” He’s angry at me. “I’m refusing to make another. You can try to get the other guys to make it, but I most definitely won’t participate in ruining the place. I most certainly do not want to invite another person into the place either. One will be enough trouble. I don’t think Kibum will approve of your decision.”

“Well, it was his decision to send me over here. He should know what to expect.” I answer and he scowls at me.

“Xander, do what you want, but keep your word.” He states. “If you let one in, you have to make sure they don’t ruin anything, you got it?”

“Got it a long time ago, Soohyun.” With that he turns and closes his eyes for a moment before disappearing. I sigh and drop onto my bed, feeling a heavy burden fall onto my shoulders.

“This better be worth it.”

A/N: Another update in just two days. For some reason, I've been updating my stories more often, which is a good thing, isn't it? There might be a third update soon, but that means I'l have start working on it now.What do you guys think about Alexander? Finally he gets a longer part xD. This story will probably be ending in no more than ten chapters :( But don't worry! There will be a sequel and I have already planned things out to fit in three different stories. xD All characters (except for Pollux) will be in the next few stories as well. :) Please comment down below and tell me if this story is getting a bit boring or confusing for you! I'll be sure to answer some of those questions :)