{Baekhyun}

It hard not to laugh when I see Jihae take a sip from her cup and cringe when she gulps down the coffee. She sticks out her tongue as though the bitterness really stings.

“Is it that bad?” I ask her.

“Yes. And will you stop beating about the bush and get to your explanation already?” She stares at me with pretentious anger, or perhaps it is real.

“Why don’t you ask the questions?”

She rolls her eyes. “Okay. Let’s start with why the heck are you able to read minds?”

“I don’t know I’m just born with it.” I shrug and drink from my own cup.

“So you can read every single person’s mind in this world?” She gawks.

“Except yours.” I correct.

“Oh right yea. So how does it work? Is there some sort of mind reading radius or something?” She looks eagerly over at me, an eye brow raised and her lips twisted.

“Not really. Although it does help if the person is someone I’m more familiar with. Sometimes a picture of them helps too.” I answer as though this is some interview.

“So you just think of them and then POOF, you read their thoughts? Or do you like have to say some words to work its magic?” Curiosity b in her eyes as she questions me.

“It just works. I don’t know how to explain it but it does. And so when I think of a particular person and think of reading their mind, I just do. Not only do I have access to their current thoughts, but everything they have ever thought about or seen.” I tell her.

Her eyes widen in amazement, as though I’ve completely blown her mind, throwing her whole train of thoughts off balance. “Okay I don’t know whether I should be in awe or feel crept out by your power.” She says in a loud whisper.

I laugh. “You don’t have to worry about me reading your mind, I can’t.” I assure her.

Her smile suddenly drops into a troubled grimace. “So you can’t read my mind because I’ve got the power of protection? Is that it?” She slides her wrist band down and her gaze fixates on her own mark.

“Yea. No mutant power can ever hurt you.”

“But that’s so useless. Like the Head can control people, you read minds and I protect myself? I’m like some pathetic coward.” She huffs and folds her arms.

“Unless…” I begin. I think about that moment when she had touched me and the Head immediately stopped controlling me. Could it have been more than coincidence?

“What?”

“Nothing.” I quickly say.

“God Byun Baekhyun you’ve got to stop your habit of keeping things from me. Things are different now, much more complicated and if you think you’re in some child’s play than you are wrong!” She raises her voice. “Can’t I just trust you to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth? It’s not just your own life at stake here you know. I have a family too.” She says. I’m unsure whether she is referring to Luhan and her foster parents or her biological ones. Either way I’m not going to ask.

“Okay.” I promise her. Although I’m quite sure this promise is going to be broken very soon. Because sometimes ignorance is bliss.

“Thank you.” She smiles at me. “Okay so I’m a mutant, you’re a mutant.” I nod in response. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I…” My tongue is caught in a tangle.

“You knew everything and you kept it all from me?” Disappointment is prominent as she asks me.

“I only knew about you being a mutant a few hours before you did. Look Jihae. I know you’re angry at me for not telling any of this to you sooner but I was only trying to protect you.” I try to sound as righteous as possible.

“Yea great and now we’re all going to die if I don’t join the Head.” She swings her hands backwards in a matter-of-factly manner.

“NO!” I shout without me realising and earn stares from the people around which includes the waiter that is currently serving us the food.

“Is there something wrong sir? Did we messed up your order?” He asks me.

“No not at all sorry about that.” Jihae replies for me. And after the waiter leaves, she turns back to me and say, “Why don’t you just let me join him Baekhyun? He doesn’t seem all that bad.”

“The answer is no. That guy is pure evil why the heck would you want to join his pack?” I raise my voice again because the idea of her with him just throws me into anger.

“His pack…?”

I sigh. I guess it’s time to reveal everything. “The Head is part of one of the strongest packs there are in our world. He has gathered the strongest from many places and they have formed a deadly gang that does really horrible stuff.”

“Like what?”

“Kill people. They murder the rich and important for money.” I explain.

Jihae looks at me with a bizarre expression. Her eyebrows creases before her lips envelop one another. Finally she lets out a laugh. “You’re joking. This sounds like some plot of a really bad movie.”

“I’m serious Jihae. They’ve tried to recruit me because with a mind reader on their hands, things will become much more efficient.” I tell her.

“Then why did they stop?”

“Erm…” I stammer, not sure if I should tell her the whole story.

She sighs, shakes her head then says, “So that night, those guys with the knife. It was them?”

“Yea.” I say a little too happy, thankful that she doesn’t budge about me answering her previous question.

“Are they that afraid of the police? Why didn’t they fight back?”

“Because they can’t. If they used their powers it would sure to have sparked out rumours and then the whole mutant world cover would be blown. Most of them don’t know how to fight without their powers so a police could easily have beaten them.” I tell her.

“So what do we do now? We fight them?” She asks and laughs at the same time as though it’s a ridiculous question.

“Well yea.” I reply.

“Why can’t we just call the police, ask them to arrest those freaks and then everything will be okay?” Jihae looks irritated.

“We can’t.” I pause. “Look I don’t want any of the police to be involved okay. They can’t know about us. The reason why I put make up to cover my mark is because I don’t want the public to know I’m a mutant. They’ll just think we’re crazy and who knows what they’ll do to people like us?”

“So…I can’t even tell my parents? Or Luhan?”

I shake my head. “Now let’s eat okay I’m starving.” I reach out to grab my fork but Jihae grabs my hand.

“I’m scared Baekhyun. Tell me this is just a dream. That I’ll wake up and none of this mutant exists and I’ll go back to being the normal cheerful Jihae.” She tilts her head downwards slowly as she speaks. I see raw terror gripping her eyes.

“I mean how the heck did they even know I’m a mutant when I don’t even know that myself? And what do they want me for? The only thing I can do is protect myself.” She whispers.

“C’mon let’s just eat okay. I’ll tell you more on the way there.” I smile at her and pick up my utensils once again.

“Where’s there?”

“My house of course. We’ve got some people to meet.”