{Baekhyun}

A shudder runs down my spine the next morning when I wake up, but my uneasiness melts when I see Jihae sleeping beside me. I smile at her. I want to pause this moment right here, right now. But I know things can’t go on like that forever. There must be a stop to all of this, even if the price to pay is huge.

I recall what had happened last night. I had given Jihae a drink with an extra addition of sleeping syrup. It knocked her out after an hour and I had carried her up to sleep in my room. She slept in another room yesterday and also the last time she had been here but I wanted to know how it felt to sleep beside someone you love.

I had kept my distance though, even placing a bolster in between us for safety measures. The bolster is still intact and is she in the exact same position. The drugs must be taking effect and it won’t wear off until an hour or two, hopefully by then I’ll already be at the headquarters, hopefully fighting a winning battle.

I didn’t tell her but, she isn’t going to go to the battle. Even though I can’t read her mind, I know her well enough to know that she would definitely want to go to the battle, even if it just means giving moral support.

She isn’t the type to just stay around and do nothing, well others are fighting for their lives just to protect her. But I’m selfish. Jihae is my weakness and with her there I’ll only grow protective and I will be distracted. I mean how could I let her go? And let her be so dangerously exposed to all those mutant slaves that works for the Head. Even though their powers are powerless against her, their weapons aren’t.

I slowly slip out of the bed. I turn back, place a soft kiss on Jihae’s forehead before slowly leaving the room, but not after leaving a small note on the bedside table.

Jihae:

Please and I repeat please do not come and find us. We are going to fight the Head and his pack. Just the six of us. I’m sorry for not telling you earlier because knowing you, you would definitely object. This is all to protect you Jihae, please don’t be mad at me. I promise you I’ll come back safe and sound.

Baekhyun

I head over to the kitchen, and a fragrant aroma lingers in the air. I peer at the kitchen and see D.O with an apron wrapped around his waist and his little chef hat placed loosely on his head. He is stirring a pot of soup using a wooden spoon with his left hand and his right hand pouring pancake mixture into another pan.

 I laugh at that cutesy sight and say “D.O ah, you’re awake?”

“Couldn’t sleep Baekhyun. Besides the early bird catches the worm. Can you wake those lazy asses up?” D.O say in a somewhat annoyed tone.

“Sure thing.” I answer and run over to the other boys’ room. I enter Chanyeol’s room first, knowing that he’ll be the hardest to wake up. He always needs time to “stretch”.

“Chanyeol ah! Wake up!” I shout into the room. I expect Chanyeol to wave me away with his hand and shout at me to leave. But on the contrary, he obediently gets up from his bed and walk downstairs. He doesn’t even say a word and his usual cheery vibe is totally washed off by that sunken face of his.

I subsequently go over to Suho’s, Kai’s and Sehun’s rooms. They too all wake up immediately and go down without a word.

I observe them for a very long time trying to figure out what is with their down expression. I mentally face-palmed myself when I realise I had forgotten I have the ability to read minds.

 I’m just really nervous for later on. Chanyeol’s thoughts ring in my head.

What if we lose the war, we don’t stand much chance. Sehun thinks.

I doubt we can win, it was just luck last time round. The Head has gotten so much stronger. Suho thinks.

 Even D.O is also bordered by this. I don’t want to be captured and imprisoned like last time. I gulp when I read D.O’s thoughts.

I know I have to say something. I have to give them strength, I have to let them know everything is going to be ok. I have to give them confidence, even though I probably don’t have that much of it myself. The point is we can’t fight a battle when our hearts already lost.

D.O serves the breakfast. A delicious spread of sunny side ups, pancakes, sausages and a creamy bowl of mushroom soup. Before they can grab their utensils, I say, “Guys, listen. Before we eat, I need to tell you something.” The five of them put all their utensils down and look at me, a variety of expressions donning their countenance.

“I know you are all worried about the battle later. You’re afraid that we will lose the battle, afraid that we’ll end up in captive. The reason that you guys are here right now, is because of me, because I need you to help me protect the girl I love, because I can’t protect her myself,” I pause when I think about how selfish I have been, wasting their time and possibly risking their lives.

“Even if we lose the battle later, we must keep an optimistic mind-set and we must try our best. I know we can do it.” I say partially lying about the last part, but I don’t let my uncertainty show.

“You honestly don’t know how thankful I am to be able to meet the five of you. Suho, Chanyeol, D.O, Kai, Sehun. You all mean so much to me, you make me feel at home, that I’m part of a big family. Thank you. Thank you for risking your lives for me. I am very grateful.” I say truthfully and smile at them.

I’ve never said something like that to them before and before I know it Chanyeol side hugs me and Sehun says, “Aww hyung you’re so sweet!”

“No problem Baekhyun! It’s what pack mates are for!” Suho adds with a smile.

“Baekhyun, if not for you, we’ll all be stuck in the hell of a place, kept in confinement with no freedom. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us.” D.O says. I read their thoughts and know that they are telling the truth, not that I have any doubts but I just want to be sure.

“Guys! Can we just eat? Gosh I’m starving!” Kai suddenly says and shatters that really sweet moment that seldom comes by.

“Yea yea yea.” I laugh.

We seriously wolfed down everything on the table, no exaggerations here. And while Kai does the dishes, Suho whispers over to me, “Is she going to be ok with us going without her?”

It takes me sometime to register the ‘her’ Suho is referring to isJihae.

“She doesn’t know.” I reply and bite my lower lip. Jihae, please don’t find us. I’m begging you please don’t.

The journey to 50 Dongjae street is a very solemn one. We decide to walk there instead of tapping on Kai’s teleportation. The six of us have never walked at a slower pace. Of course no one is looking forward to the battle.

“He knows we’re coming. He’s ready for us.” I say, after reading Donghae’s mind again. I had done so once to check up on the Head and their pack, SUJU. I had always been afraid to use that name and I had even refused to tell Jihae that. All for one sole reason, ‘su ju’ means order.

“Donghae?” Suho asks me.

“Yeap.”

“Baekhyun, send him a telepathy, tell him we’re ready for them.” Suho instructs me. I nod and does as he says immediately. Tell your Head that EXO-K is ready for the battle. Bring it on.

•••••

“Baekhyun, you’re here.” The Head says when he sees us. “And you’ve brought your friends.” He grins and glares at the five of them. I watch as their brave façade begin to falter, even Suho looks slightly disorientated from the sight of the person he had been most afraid of.

“But alas, you missed out on a very important someone. Jihae,” his baritone voice sounds across the walls.

“Jihae won’t be coming.” I say firmly.

“Oh is she now? So has she made up her mind?” The Head asks.

“Yes. And she isn’t joining your pack.” Kai shoots bravely.

“I’m afraid that’s not up for you to decide.”

“Neither it is for you!” Sehun argues back.

“Bring her to me!” The Head says to his pack.

“Over my dead body.” I shout and gesture for Chanyeol to shoot a fireball at the Head. But he stops Chanyeol by controlling his mind. I watch as Chanyeol’s hand changes direction until his palm is now facing me.

“This is how you want it to end, don’t you Byun Baekhyun?” The Head asks. “It didn’t have to be this way. Just nicely hand her over and everything will be okay. You’ve got to learn to mind your own business Baekhyun.”

“Her business is my business.” I clench my fist and stare into those cruel and menacing eyes without diverting gaze.

He falls back into his chair in a fit of evil laughter. “How sweet of you! Too bad she won’t ever get to see you again.” He snickers. “Surround them!” He shouts to his pack. I watch as the SUJU pack crowds the five of us. Chanyeol is as good as being one of them, what with his mind being controlled and all.

I catch glimpse of faces that I recognise. Oh how much they’ve changed since I last saw them. That innocent baby faced Ryeowook now has menace written all over his face. Siwon has grown a moustache that aggravates his fierceness, and is that Heechul with a tattoo on his arm? These eleven boys used to be teenagers that were blindly following the Head, unbeknownst of his evil intentions.

But now it has seemed, that they have inherited a lot of the Head’s thinking and mind-set. And then a thought crosses my mind, could the Head be able to brainwash people too? But this is no time for thinking about irrelevant stuff.

 “Bring it on Leeteuk.” I say and watch the Head’s eyes widen at the use of his real name so few people know of, and he shouts for his pack to start fighting.