2085: Shinhwa Public Middle School

“I know you’re there.”

The boy lay, bruised and battered on the ground. His mouth had a cut, leaving a trail of dried blood. The man emerged from behind the wall. The boy stared at the figure that approached him with admiration- and a slight fear. He was everything the boy wished he could ever be. Tall, fit, strong, handsome- giving off an aura of importance with his powerful gaze. His hair was shaved at the two sides, and dyed an ashy blonde in the middle where it was styled up. It wasn’t as if he was dressed in a suit and tie, with hair gelled back like a gentlemen. Oh, no. His hair was styled in a rough manner, and he wore a leather biker jacket over a V-neck black singlet and a pair of black ripped jeans. But yet, he still looked condescending and enigmatic. He wordlessly walked over to the boy. Even his strides were slick and graceful. He didn’t seem human. The bullies just left, leaving the boy to clean up the mess they created in the school’s backyard. The boy leaned his head against the brick wall and closed his eyes.

Swish. Step. Zip.

Brushing the book from the floor.

Stepping towards the backpack to put it in.

Zipping it up.

The boy watched on in silence as he picked up the scattered books and zipped up his backpack, handing it back over to him.

The man bent down, so he was face to face with the youngster.

“I know you know I’m there. I know you know that I’m always there.”

The boy looked at him.
“How?”

The man grinned, his eyes crinkling into crescent moons. He chuckled.

“I know you can hear me.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I don’t want anything from you. I want to give you something.”

The boy furrowed his eyebrows.

“I don’t know you.”

The man placed his hands back on his knees and stood up, dusting his sleeves.

“Oh, but I know you.”

He reached out to offer his hand to the boy.

“Lee Jeno.”

“How do you know me?”

“I’m just like you.”

The boy stared at the hand.

“What… are you giving me?”

“A chance. I’m offering you a chance to prove yourself. A chance to be so much more.”

He slowly took the man’s hand and stood up.

“Who are you?”

“You’ll find out later, but for now, call me Gust.”

2085: The Facility

The android drew nearer and nearer, shooting blasts at the mutants in its wake.

“Find its weak spot! You have to find its weak spot! What did I tell you? Don’t focus on wasting your energy and attacking! You defend and locate. Do not shoot if you don’t know!”

The woman cried out in frustration just as a blast of fire came in her direction.

Before she could react, a pair of muscular arms wrapper around her and the blast crashed into the car behind her, blowing it up.

She reappeared at the other end of the wreckage, breathing heavily whilst leaning onto the back of an overturned truck in the wreckage.

“What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here right now!”

“Nice to see you again, babe. And correction, yes I’m supposed to be here. Anywhere you are is a place I am supposed to be.”

She rolled her eyes, pressing him back just as a bullet narrowly missed his chest.

“Watch out, that mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day.”

He leaned towards her and whispered in her ear, his breath tickling the nape of her neck.

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

Then he disappeared again.

She stood back up and watched the rest of the mutants in the battlefield.

“Found it?”

She screamed across the room.

“It melts!”

She flipped over onto the ground, landing soundlessly, her glossy black hair falling right into place.

“I’m not helping you on this one. Stretch!”

She got no reply.

“Jung Joonyoung!”

The lanky boy emerged from behind the large piece of ripped metal.

“Sorry! Didn’t hear!”

“Wrap yourself around it. Blaze!”

The boy was one of her favourites. He was always attentive, he was cooperative, talented, groovy and fought with style. His hair was dyed slightly red at the edges of the sideburns and the fringe, perfectly fitting of his personality and capabilities. As expected, he dashed out with excellent speed and emerged next to her.