Two years ago;

Baekhyun watched as the truck neared him—the guy standing at the side of the road, completely unaware of the incoming vehicle that was about to crash into him, crushing his body into pieces.

A good twenty metres separated them and Baekhyun knew it was impossible for him to reach him in time even if he wanted to. Unless…he thought as he bit his lip in hesitation. He knew he couldn’t just let him get hit like that. He had the power to change things and he had to do something. Nothing was stopping him. He just didn’t have the courage.

Any moment now. Any moment now and the truck would smashed into him, taking his life away in the process. Now or never. Baekhyun thought and pictured an image of a clock. He knew his power of time control had always been unreliable. All he wished for now was for it not to give up on him at this current moment when a life was at stake.

When he reopened his eyes, the world was paused and so everything in it came to an abrupt stop, including the truck. Even with time in his control, Baekhyun didn’t waste any time pushing the boy out of the way. He only un-paused time when they were a good distance away.

The truck skidded by and Baekhyun felt himself heave a sigh of relief. But now he had other things to tackle. He read through the boy’s mind and his worst fears were confirmed.

“How did I get here?” The boy’s eyes narrowed on Baekhyun’s.  “The truck, it was about to hit me.”

“Look, just be thankful that I saved your life okay!” Baekhyun shouted rudely in response and walked away before this stranger could question him even further. But something he said made Baekhyun’s legs freeze.

“Are you a mutant?”

Immediately after those words took effect on Baekhyun’s brain, he did a thorough scan on his mind. Lay is his name. He’s fifteen. And either than things that happened in a normal human’s life, nothing special appeared in Baekhyun’s train of thoughts. There were no signs of him being a mutant.

Baekhyun’s hand then reached for his left wrist. Could it be that his makeup had faded, resulting in this obvious giveaway? But when he looked over at his skin, no signs of his mark were showing. So how exactly did he know? Baekhyun thought.

But before he could interrogate Lay, he asked something else. “You have the ability of time control don’t you?” He asked.

“H-how do you know?” Baekhyun’s words were called in a tangle and he struggled to articulate properly.

“My friend is a mutant.” He revealed.

Another quick read through his memory bank told Baekhyun that he did befriended a guy with the ability of strength. “What else do you know?” He wanted to know.

“That you have the ability to read minds too right?” Lay said with an indifferent tone.

Baekhyun’s eyes widened to the size of saucers as he stared back at Lay, an incredulous expression on his face.  Never in his life had anyone found out about his ability. Apart from the Head. But things were different this time. Lay was a mundane human with close to zero connection with the mutant world.

How did you? Baekhyun wanted to ask. His lips were parted but no words escaped.

“Your expression…” Lay answered as though he had known what Baekhyun was thinking.

Baekhyun’s eyebrows creased in confusion, stunned that he knew so much based on pure inference. Scary. Baekhyun thought. This Lay guy seemed to know more about Baekhyun than the other way round. And to think I’m the mind reader.

Because for some reason, Baekhyun still knew very little about him after reading his mind. Perhaps this guy is either very forgetful or doesn’t think much. He told himself.

“You don’t know my name do you?” Baekhyun glanced at him suspiciously.

“Of course not!” Lay laughed.

“I’m Baekhyun.” Baekhyun introduced.

“I’m Lay. But I suppose you already knew that.”  Lay said. “Thank you Baekhyun.” He said and when his lips curved into a grateful smile, he looked like a different person altogether. All the doubts and peculiarity Baekhyun had towards him was erased in that instant. His smile worked a kind of magic.

“If you ever need a favour, anything at all, remember to call me. I’ll do it.” Lay said before he walked away.

“Wait! Where will I find you?” Baekhyun called out to him.

“Just read my mind.” Lay reminded and threw a last smile before he turned at the end of the alley. It would be another two years before Baekhyun would enlist his help.

•••••

“Baekhyun!” A familiar voice calls for him when he enters the school. No it isn’t Jihae. It’s her brother. Baekhyun whips his head around as he sees a sweaty Luhan dash towards him.

“Dude! Where have you been these few days? I haven’t seen you much!” Luhan says as he uses the back of his hand to wipe away the beads of perspiration on his forehead.

I’ve been busy mending my broken heart is what Baekhyun wants to say. But to spell it aloud would be both pathetic and depressive. He doesn’t need to drown himself in deeper self-pity.

“Oh nothing much just got a lot of homework lately.” Baekhyun lies.

“That’s funny, Jihae seems to have a lot of time in her hands.” At the mention of her name, Baekhyun immediately feels a sharp pang somewhere around his chest, at the area where it houses his heart. His expression dissolves into a bitter grimace but he conceals it right away to prevent Luhan from casting any suspicions.

“W-who’s J-jihae?” The words feel unfamiliar as Baekhyun softy enunciates it, stammering slightly along the way because of all the painful memories this name brings along with it.

“My sister of course!” Luhan says a little too accusingly as though it is something Baekhyun is supposed to know.

“Oh.” Is all Baekhyun says in response. His facial muscles struggle to hold up his half-smile. Of course I know who she is. Baekhyun says inwardly. I love her.

“You should get to know her better! Perhaps you two would become good friends!” Luhan says a little too enthusiastically. “Who knows? You two might fall in love and then we’ll be in-laws!”

Fall in love. Those three words bear significant importance in Baekhyun’s heart and when his friend puts it out so clearly, it’s as though each one of them are deadly spears, piercing through his flesh, rendering him in excruciating pain and agony.

“Who knows...” Baekhyun fakes a laugh. His eyes dart around for a couple of seconds before he finally comes up of a way to escape from this torture. “Urm, I’ve got to go Luhan. I’ve got something on.” He adds. And before Luhan can stop him, Baekhyun scurries away from the locker hallway and makes his way to the other side of the campus block.

You two would become good friends! Luhan’s words echo in Baekhyun’s mind and he desperately tries to shake them off. He doesn’t need that extra reminder how things would become if he were to befriend her.

The same series of events are sure to happen. They’d meet, they’d become friends, they’d fall in love. But Baekhyun knows that if he were to go down that road again, something else will also happen. She’ll die. He reminds himself. It is the only way to convince himself that what he is currently doing is for the best. Not just for Jihae, but also for himself.

The pain of just parting with her for a year had been so demanding he doesn’t know how his body will react if she were to just die on him. And so it’s the fact that Jihae is alive and well that keeps Baekhyun’s mind filled with rejuvenated strength each and every day. For if she were to disappear from his life permanently, he knows he’ll break apart. If he hasn’t already that is.