{Jihae}

If we can’t have you, no one else can. The answer is clear. Either I join them or I die. It is as simple as it sounds. The sensation that erupts me is a strong feeling of ambiguity and uneasiness.

In the past hour, I’ve known more things about myself than I ever had throughout my entire existence. The deal sounds inviting, really. The chance to know about my biological parents. But what does it mean to join them? How does my ‘power’ even benefit them if the only thing I am capable of is protecting myself?

“Just say no Jihae.” Baekhyun whispers to me, his voice sounding more like a warning than an advice. I look at him and the concern gaze in his eyes are more prominent than ever. I should be happy he cares for me again. But a different feeling emerges. Anger.

“So Jihae, do we have an answer?” The Head’s voice resonates itself through the walls of this open space. And as if on standby, there are people at the corners of the area, all looking ready for an ambush.

“I-I’ll need time to consider,” I tell him, somehow hoping that he’ll let me off and I’ll just leave all the worrying to another time. My first priority is to get home in a piece.

“Very well,” he agrees to my request immediately. This stuns me a little because so far, my impression of this ‘the Head’ guy isn’t very good and so his kind gesture of acceding to me takes be aback.

“You’ll let us go?” Baekhyun looks just as shocked as I am.

“I’ll let her go.”

“NO! If I leave I’m taking Baekhyun with me!” I say immediately. Even though I’m pretty pissed with Baekhyun at the moment, the thought of leaving Baekhyun alone in this ghost house scares me by itself. I can’t imagine what they’ll do to him.

“Don’t push it little girl,” one of the guys from the corner replies.

“Don’t worry about me Jihae. Just leave it’ll be fine.” Baekhyun flashes me his rectangular smile, a little shakier than usual, betraying his fear.

“No! I’m not going to just leave you here like that!” I hate it when he tries to play the hero.

“Look mister I’ll make a deal with you. Either you let the both of us leave this place unscathed or don’t even think for a second that I’ll consider your deal!” I didn’t know I had that in me to dare the man that can have me killed any moment.

The Head’s reaction surprises me. He doesn’t look angry. Instead he is laughing as though he’s impressed by my feat. “Real gutsy there eh? We could really use you on the team.” He chuckles.

“So are you letting us out or not?” I threaten him once again, hoping that the tremble from my voice isn’t obvious.

“Tell you what, I’ll give you to the end of this month to think it through. If by that time I don’t get an answer, you’ll bear the consequence.” The Head pauses for a moment, a sly grin creeping to his face as he continues, “all of you will.”

•••••

“Jihae! You’re back we’re all so worried for you!” My mother pulls me for a bear hug the moment I enter the house. My dad is seating on the couch reading a book, something that he usually never does. I guess the worry must have flipped his usual habits of watching television after work.

“Is Luhan in his room?” I ask after a quick swipe across the living room.

“Oh dear that silly boy drove around town looking for you. I better give him a call.” My mom answers. The only thing that hits me is a slight smile on my face. It’s glad to know my brother cares so much he even went to the point of searching the city. How heart-warming.

“Darling is everything okay? You seem paler than normal.” Dad asks the moment I plunge onto the sofa beside him.

“Nah everything is fine. I just had some boy problems that’s all.” I lie. Well what was I going to tell them? That their adoptive child is a mutant that has a special ability? Because if that doesn’t drive them to the brink of insanity like it has done for me, then kudos to them.

“Told ya not to get too caught up with boys.” Dad laughs. “Who is it this time?”

“Dad! You’re speaking as though your daughter is some kind of !” I groan and roll my eyes. “Ah its your son’s best buddy.”

“Baek?” I nod. “He’s a good guy.” My mom chips in. Her words only leave me with a mountain full of doubts. Can I really trust him?

We separated ways after walking a good hundred metres earlier on. He said something about having errands to run. Probably some lie he concocted to get away from me. I think. If only I hadn’t mixed around with him, all this wouldn’t have happened.

All this time he knew and he didn’t tell me. Surely he would have known about all this. That I’m a mutant. That he is one too. That some crazy man is plotting to have me join his ‘pack’.

And as I return to my room, I find myself sunken in more puzzlement than I’ve felt. Who is Baekhyun? What if he’s just a chest piece used by the Head to lure me in? To pretend to befriend me but what if all this time, it’s purely an act. Perhaps he’s always been controlled by the Head. Perhaps none of this is his true self.

A loud sigh escapes my lips as I think deeply again. Can I really trust him?

•••••

“MY GAWD HE’S SO ROMANTIC JIHAE!” Miyoung’s voice pops out of nowhere when I’m busy putting my books into the locker. Slamming the locker door hard, as if to tell her to screw off, I look back at her.

“Who?” I try to sound as interested as possible. Even though I’m really not in the mood for any Miyoung spazzing at the moment.

“BAEKHYUN IS! HE JUST MADE A PUBLIC PROCLAMATION IN THE CAFETERIA THAT HE’S GOING TO WOO YOU!” Miyoung announces, or perhaps screams, and then pretends to faint in my arms which I take the curtesy to hold up before she loses balance.

“He what!?” An incredulous expression on my face.

“Well I couldn’t believe it too! I mean like why would he choose you over other girls?” Miyoung obviously lacked something called sensitivity, or perhaps she is just plain rude. I stare at her blankly but she shows no signs of being sorry of her words.

“His exact words were ‘Jihae is going to be mine and no one is to interfere with my plans of wining her heart.’” She mimics and as though she’s the one Baekhyun is wooing, she tilts her pupils upwards, somewhat drowned in ecstasy.

“How I wish I was the one he wanted to woo,” Miyoung comments.

“That bastard.” I curse under my breath and walk away from Miyoung who is now sharing the news with someone else. What on earth is he planning to do this time? I groan mentally when it occurs to me that it’s Chemistry the next lesson.

I try my best to sneak into the classroom, hoping to be unnoticed by everyone, that I’ll just be this invisible person. But of course that doesn’t happen. Nothing ever goes as I want to.

“Jihae! Are you and Baekhyun dating already?”

“How did you win his heart?”

“ get away from my oppa!”

Voices slurring at me as I attempt to block out the rest of the world. I don’t know when it ended but suddenly, as though all at once, the cacophony of noises melted into silence. I raise my head to see what happened. And I see Baekhyun entering the door, making his way to the seat beside me.

And within the short time frame of merely a few seconds, a lot runs through my head. Because I realised I don’t know what I should do when I face Baekhyun. Whether I should interrogate him about the whole mutant that happened yesterday or ask him about what he did just back then in the cafeteria. Or maybe I should just remain silent.

As soon as he sits down, all my indecisiveness disappears. Instead when I look up at him and see him smiling, a conflicting but strong emotion overwhelms me. Anger.

“Care to explain what’s going on?” I glare at him.

“Not now. After class, meet me at the school’s foyer. I have a place to take you.” He half smirks half laughs as he speaks. For some reason his voice gets on my nerves and I clench my fist to conquer the annoyance.

“Is that supposed to be a date?” I can’t help but ask, but more in an angered tone than a happy one.

“If you wanna think it as that way then yea.” He smiles and I half regret asking him that. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the news in the cafeteria.”

I don’t know why but those words make me blush a deep crimson in my cheeks. I quickly turn away in hopes that he doesn’t notice. There is still a good hour and a half before class ended. And at this point in time, what I want more than anything in the world, is to make time go faster.

•••••

“Will you stop grabbing my wrist? I have legs you know! I can walk on my own!” Only then does Baekhyun release his grip on my left hand. The impact of his grasp has undoubtedly left a few red marks, once again proving how tightly he had pulled me.

We are now on our way to the place he wants to take me to after I met him after class ended. Without saying a word, he had grabbed my hand earlier on and dragged me along up till this point when I just shouted for him to let go.

The walk to restaurant takes no more than five minutes and before I know it, we’re both seated comfortably in a table for two. I take a good look around my surroundings. They sure didn’t hold back on expenses in the decoration because the entire floor is carpeted and each table even has their own fancy chandelier. Even the waiters are decked out in suits and ties.

When the waiter passes us our menu, I don’t even have time to flip it open before Baekhyun says, “I’ll order the two most expensive items on the menu. And Americanos for the both of us.”

As soon as the waiter leaves I immediately interrogate him, “Why didn’t you let me choose? And will you please explain to me why you brought me all the way to this fancy restaurant?”

“Well I couldn’t cut cost on our very first date right?” He winks and I try my best to stifle a smile.

The two cups of coffee arrived on our table and Baekhyun gestures for me to drink it. “Erm, I’m not much of a coffee person.” I tell him.

He just laughs and replies, “drink it, you’ll need the caffeine tonight.” And his words leave me with a tons of spinning questions.