{Baekhyun}

“I’m okay,” I tell her when she still does let go of me, as if the fear of me almost dying had really terrified her. “Don’t worry.” I pacify her once again, gently pressing against her tears with my thumb and slowly wipe them away. She finally pulls away but not before giving me a half-smile, half-cry look.

In that instant I know that she has etched me in her heart. That I now own a place deep within her. I don’t know if it was the accident that triggered it or perhaps she has always regarded me like that for a long time.

A grimace washes my face when Jihae walks away to the kitchen. I should be happy, but I’m not.

“Hyung why are you frowning?” Kai questions me as he walks nearer.

“Yea Baekhyun, Jihae cares for you so much,” Suho adds on. “As much as you do for her.”

The frown on my face stiffens as Suho’s words ring across my head. That’s exactly the problem. That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. I can’t imagine how she will feel when she finds out what I have in plan. Perhaps I shouldn’t tell her. Yea, I think as Suho shoots me a peculiar look, that’s exactly what I’ll do.

•••••

 “Guys! Jihae’s cooking!” D.O announces to us after he comes back from the kitchen. He had planned to start making dinner but I guess Jihae snatched the kitchen first.

“Aw poor D.O! Someone stole your kitchen,” Chanyeol teases.

“Yah! I’m happy okay. I’ve been cooking for the past week! Its good to finally take a break.” He smiles and falls back onto the grass patch with a blob.

It’s already been eight days since they’ve been here. How time flies really. I had went to search for them ever since I found out Jihae is a mutant. Reading their minds gave me a clue to their location. But I only located Chanyeol before I had to dash over to 50 Dongjae street when Luhan’s mind told me that Jihae would be in grave danger.

I didn’t have to make a personal trip if only my phone was working. But I had been too lazy to get a new one ever since my old one died when I jumped into the pond the other time to save Jihae. Silly me for forgetting that phones aren’t pond-proof.

That girl is so foolish. I chuckle to myself at the thought of Jihae throwing herself at mortal danger. But if our roles were reversed, I would have done the same.

“Hey guys why are y’all just standing around? Go and train!” Suho shouts at the four of them and gestures for them to leave us. Earlier on before Jihae came, I was having a conversation with Suho about the strategies we’d use the day after tomorrow. The end of the month.

“Suho hyung, we’ve already been training for the entire week! Cut us some slack will ya?” Sehun whines and pouts at no one in particular.

I suddenly feel kind of bad for them. The four that have been training so much these few days, all in the hopes of mastering their powers. Suho has already peaked his and while I haven’t, there’s not much ‘training’ I can do to my power.

“Suho hyung, I challenge you!” Chanyeol suddenly blurts out, his fingers gesturing for Suho to come to him. A smug smile plastered on his face and his eyebrows are raised. I had to cover my mouth to prevent the laughter from spilling out. Boy did he look ridiculous.

“Challenge accepted!” Suho jumps up instantly and readies himself. The rest of us laugh and stand at the side, all wanting to see how the battle will turn out.

Chanyeol fires a blast of red flames towards Suho but he is faster than that and an ice wall immediately forms around him, protecting him from the heat. The battle is intense with Chanyeol sweating buckets as he gives it his all to generate his flames while Suho constantly cools his ice to prevent them from melting.

“Who do you think will win?” Sehun asks Kai.

“Suho hyung of course. No one can win him,” He replies nonchalantly.

Normally I would have agreed with Kai, but after all the weird things that have been happening lately, it’s hard to tell. What weird things? Well our powers have all been strengthened. It couldn’t been just pure coincidence that I can now send telepathies to people and that D.O was able to heal me almost instantly.

Suho looks calm at first, but in some point in time, his face changes into distress. And when I read his mind, I finally understand why. The flames are melting his ice faster than usual. And although the ice he produces are much cooler than normal ones, the fire Chanyeol shoots have still managed to melt their way through.

And that is when a shot of lightning strikes at Suho’s ice, shocking him for a moment and he leaves contact with the ice. At this moment, Chanyeol fires a blast of bluish flame and it shoots right through the ice. When I thought Suho would definitely get injured by the flames, all the fire disappears at once.

Without all the smoke, I can finally see my two pack mates clearly. Chanyeol is standing proud and tall, with a conceited smile in his face. Suho doesn’t look disappointed but rather he is in shock.

“H-how did you?” He asks.

“Haha you’re not the only one that has peaked their ability Suho hyung!” Chanyeol brags.

“Since when?” Suho gapes.

“Since a few moments ago!” Chanyeol says a little too happily.

“He’s lying,” I tell them after I checked his thoughts. His mark never glowed like Suho’s did when he peaked his ability a few months ago.

“Yah I know I can’t trick you Baek,” Chanyeol twists his lips. “Truth is I don’t know what’s happened? I just feel strengthened all of a sudden!”

“Is it the first time?” I ask him.

“Ever since I met her.” He answers. “Jihae.”

Jihae? How does the strengthening of our powers have anything to do with her?

Is it the same for you guys? I ask in their heads.

“Woah what was that Baekhyun?” Chanyeol shouts.

“My gosh get out of my head hyung!” Sehun shakes and beats his head for a while.

“It’s a little trick I have been practising with Suho hyung,” I tell them. So guys tell me, is it the same for all of you? I sent them the mental message again.

“Well like you know I did heal you much faster than before,” D.O says.

“There seems to be lesser air resistance when I fly and air seems easier to bend than before.” Sehun adds on.

“I don’t even have to move my hand to elevate objects.” Kai says.

“Well nothing has seemed to change for me,” Suho shrugs.

“It’s as if something is enhancing our powers,” I mention. “Or someone.” Jihae.

The five of them turn their heads to look at me. “You don’t mean Jihae?” Suho asks me.

“Yes hyung that’s exactly what I mean. One way or another it’s got something to do with her.” I reply. What exactly it is I don’t know. But I’m planning to find out.