{Jihae}

Stupid Baekhyun! I curse inwardly and groan aloud. I feel suffocated by this room even though it’s twice as big as the one I have at home. The bed is queen sized and I have more than enough space to roll around as I use all the profanities I know to curse Baekhyun.

I suddenly feel homesick as I look around the empty white walls. How this room is so well kept is a mystery to me since Baekhyun leaves alone. At this thought, I suddenly shoot up into a seating position. He lives alone. Or at least that’s what it seems. They were completely no signs of anyone else residing in this huge mansion. I wonder where his father is. Another wild thought swims into my head. Could he be dead too?

The thought of having no future parent-in-laws scares me. He has already told me his mom passed away, not that I know why. And that at this moment I start laughing like a maniac. Parent-in-laws? Since when did Baekhyun become my fiancé?

The silly thought dies down when I hear a knock on the door, followed by someone’s voice. “Knock knock!”

I roll my eyes at the sound of the deep hoarse voice. Even though I know who it is, I still ask, “Who’s there?”

“Chanyeol!” He shouts. I decide the play along with his childishness. “Chanyeol who?” I ask.

“Chanyeol the boy that will burn down this door if you don’t open it up now.” He says with a hint of a laugh. I get down from the bed and place my palm on the door. Wanting to see what kind of effect there will be, I challenge, “Try it.”

“I’m not joking you know?” His voice sounds from the other side.

“I know.” I almost laugh.

I don’t really know what to expect. Will the entire door melt away or will a wooden mould of my hand shape be formed just at the place my skin comes into contact with the door.

A few moments passed and all I hear is Chanyeol groaning. Nothing happens to the door and I begin to wonder if it’s because he was just playing with me in the first place. 

“Dude get on with it already,” I say.

“I am!”

“What? Then why isn’t anything happening?”

“I don’t know.” His voice seems shaken. “My fire can almost everything. Wood is meant to be burnt. In fact it’s one of the most susceptible material out there.”

“Oh my it actually works.”

“What works?” He asks. I don’t reply. Instead, I unlock the door and show him what I had been doing. He gasps as his mind intakes the new piece of information.

“So you can protect objects from mutant power?” He asks in shock.

“I suppose.” I rub the area behind my neck awkwardly.

“Wow that’s so cool!” He cheers and I’m reminded of three year olds when they see bubbles blown for the first time.

“So why’re you here? Baekhyun sent you?” I ask accusingly.

“No no! He doesn’t know I’m here so lower your volume!” He places a hand over my mouth and I quickly back away when his fingers touch my lips. “I just wanted to tell you something.”

“Is that something the story of how you guys met and how EXO-K was formed?” I ask eagerly.

“No…” He replies and I’m hit with a shot of disappointment and irritation. He senses that and says, “I can’t betray my best friend Jihae. I’m sorry. I’ll respect his decision and you should too.”

“Not this again.” I roll my eyes, in such a way that Chanyeol is sure to see it. “Don’t you think Baekhyun’s having a bad temper lately? He wasn’t like that last time.”

“Trust me I’ve seen him worse. But it’s only because he’s nervous. That guy is afraid. He acts like he isn’t but I know him and it tells me that he’s under more stress than anyone else.” He says.

“Why would he be under stress? It’s me they’re after. If we lose then they’ll take me away, not him.” I say trying to defend myself.

“That’s exactly the point,” Chanyeol’s sad eyes find their way onto mind. “He’s afraid of losing you Jihae.”

•••••

Throughout these past few days, Chanyeol’s words kept repeating in my head. Could really what he has say be true? Is that really the reason behind Baekhyun acting all worked up and bipolar? Today is a Friday and I haven’t met Baekhyun since I left his house on Sunday afternoon. I haven’t spoken to him much since our argument.

I stare blankly at my calendar. The deadline is barely a couple of days away. Three to be exact. I put down my pen and pack away the pieces of paper on my desk. School work will have to wait. There are currently more important things to care about. Things that are a matter of life and death.

This cold war with Baekhyun can’t go on forever and it has to end now. He hasn’t bothered to call or even message me since then and I wasn’t going to give in and take the first step. But there isn’t much time left and I have to contact him soon to know what’s on his mind.

I whisk out my phone and scroll through the lists of contacts. A phone call to Baekhyun merely a finger click away. Hesitance sweeps me but eventually my conscience wins out and I click the “call” button because the last time I left a message he never replied it.

“The number you have dialled is currently unavailable.” An automated voice greets me. My eyebrows crease in confusion, puzzled as to why I couldn’t dial through. Did he forget to switch on his phone or something?

“Luhan ah!” I shout across to my brother who is in his room god knows doing what.

“What?” He answers after a while.

“Has Baekhyun contacted you recently?” I ask.

“No.”

I can’t help but feel anxiety gnawing at me when I hear his reply. Did something happen to him? Did the Head find him? Questions filing in my mind and I know there’s only one way I can find my answers. And that is to go to his house.

I quickly stuff some clean clothes into a bag pack just in case I will be staying over again. Not that I want to. But even though the thought of the creepy room back at Baekhyun’s house scares me, sleeping near him makes me feel safe. Perhaps I do want to stay over.

“I’m going over to Baekhyun’s house.” I say in the direction of Luhan’s room and just as I am about to open my own door, I hear a whisper in the air. It sounded like the words hi.

I look behind me to find Kai’s standing a few metres away from me, at the corner of my room. His hair is all messy and his clothes slightly rugged.

“Kai?” I barely whisper.

“I’d come to pick you up!” He smiles at me and takes a few steps closer.

“Shh!” I place my index on my lip, “Don’t let anyone know you’re here!”

“Why not?”

“Let’s just say my family isn’t accustomed to people teleporting here and there.” I say in a hushed voice.

“Ohh right,” he laughs.

“Jihae is that you? Who are you talking to?” Luhan’s voice sounds over from the other end. Just then the door clicks open and just as I thought I am done for, that Luhan is sure to freak out when he sees this olive skinned stranger in my bedroom, I look behind to see Kai vanish into thin air.

“Nothing, just on the phone.” I lie.

“Well you’re going over to Baek’s house aren’t ya? Need me to give you a lift?” He offers.

“No thank you,” I reject politely because something tells me that I’ll find Kai waiting just outside my house gates. “I’ll just walk. Gotta lose those extra pounds!”

Luhan snickers, “Sis you’re already so skinny. Gosh what is wrong with girls?” He says and walks out of my room, finally allowing me to breathe properly as the fear of him finding anything absurd melts away.

I hurl over my bag and exit the room. I hurry down the stairs and out of my house. Sure enough, I spot Kai leaning against a wall at the end of the alley. His face lights up when he sees me.

“What took you so long?” He asks as soon as I walk over. “I went back twice already.”

“How did you know I was planning to go to Baekhyun’s house?” I ask warily.

“Hyung sent me here of course.” He answers as though it’s the most rudimentary thing in the world.

“How did he—” He doesn’t let me finish my question.

“He’s been monitoring you from your brother’s mind ever since you’ve left. Never stopped watching you.” He reveals, leaving me unsure as to whether I should be comforted by the fact I have such a protective boyfriend or I should be crept out that he knows my every move.

“Now let’s go!” He says and grabs my hand.

“Go where?”

“To Baekhyun’s house of course! We’re teleporting!” He says.

“T-teleporting?” I stare at him in disbelief. All along I had though he came to me just in case I got attacked by people under the Head. Never did I think I’d actually be teleporting. The thought of magically puffing from one place to another made a shiver run down my spine.

“Well duh! You don’t think we’re walking aren’t you?” He laughs as the grip around my hand tightens. And just then he snaps his fingers. I close my eyes shut, not anticipating how it’ll be like to have the millions of atoms in me disperse into the wind and join back again at our destination.

But instead nothing happens. Perplexity flashes across his eyes and he snaps his fingers again, and then again. Still nothing happens.

“Are you sure you’re able to teleport people with you?” I ask doubtfully.

“Yea of course, I mean I’ve done it for so many already. I just don’t get why…” He looks at me and subsequently an ‘o’ forms his lips. “I see.” He mouths.

“What?”

“You’ve got to be willing Jihae. There’s no way I can force you. You’re power is preventing me from doing something against your will.” He explains.

“Be willing?” I didn’t understand what he had meant. I wasn’t resisting him or anything. I had followed his orders.

“You have to trust,” he says. I let that word repeat in my head. Trust. Something that is so easily said but extremely difficult to execute. But at that moment I let myself believe that teleporting isn’t all that scary. I let myself trust.

I hear a distant snap and then in an instant I’m at the dining room of Baekhyun’s house. Or at least I think I am. Dizziness overwhelms me and the world seems to be spinning. I make out a blurred vision of a boy. Probably Baekhyun. He walks towards me with a warm hearted smile.

“You okay?” He asks. His voice is soothing and it makes me smile.

Yea. I want to say but no words come out. I look to him for help but he just gives me a reassuring look. “Don’t worry, everyone becomes like that after their first teleporting session.” He says and turns to look at someone beside me that I hadn’t realise had been right beside me.

Kai tries to stifle a laugh and fails. “It’s always funny to see someone after their first attempt.” He gags.

I laugh along but no laughter sounds comes out from my mouth. It feels as though my throat is caught in a fist and suddenly speaking has become a chore. So I just smile along. But the sides of my lips stiffens as I see it. The red flames headed at our direction. The corners of my smile drops and my eyes widen.

I want to do something. I want to jump in front of the ball of fire to protect the both of them. But Baekhyun acts faster than me and pushes both Kai and I away from the blast of fire. He tries dodging it as well but not as successfully.

I watch wide eyed as the flame penetrates his skin and he arches back in pain. I hear someone screaming. The voice filled with pain and agony. I think for a while it could be Baekhyun’s. But then I realise he is already unconscious. But in a flash everything becomes clear and I realise I had now found the ability to speak again.

I was the one shouting and I still am. “BAEKHYUN!”