Chapter Seventeen

It’s been a week since the two young lads left the academy. Taehyun is enjoying their stay in the tropical country. They went fishing and sight-seeing in the famous Taal. The pale boy also had his fair share of happiness with riding a horse. At the same time, Mino felt like everything is normal, or at least he could pretend. He would watch Taehyun enjoy the sun and other activities around the Mansion, and when they’re not in the mood to be active outside they would cuddle all day in the bed—stealing sweet kisses with each other.

Taehyun could not ask for more. All the thoughts about the X and all the things about the battle were pushed back at the farthest part of his mind. All that is happening to him as of the moment, is everything that he wished for. A light and happy life with Mino.

But both of them know that this won’t last forever.

A sudden movement beside him made Taehyun to be fully awake. The smaller took a glance on the clock hanged on the wall in front of them and saw that it is just 3 am.

“Taehyun, we should go.” Mino said in a low voice, as if he is trying to keep calm and be quiet.

The younger looked at the other, eyes full of questions but he kept his mouth shut for he knows that speaking and panicking won’t cause them any better.

The couple managed to pack their things in less than half an hour. Taehyun washed his face, and he didn’t even bother to take a bath; same with Mino.

Outside the Mansion a white car is waiting for them.

“Get in.” Mino ordered. Taehyun didn’t any seconds and quickly fly inside the car. He notice the driver who gave him a polite smile.

“To airport please.” Mino said.

And all Taehyun could do is watch the Mansion fade behind his back.

“He is fast.” Gentle footsteps can be heard in the hallway.

“They are heading to the airport; do you want me to follow them?” His deep voice echoed through the empty hall.

“No, just let them be. We all know where he is going anyways.”

A nod.

“Just send someone in the academy, let’s frighten the old man.”

“Where are we going?” Taehyun never imagined that he would use those words a lot.

“You’ll see.” Was all Mino answered.

Taehyun let out an exaggerated sigh before whispering ‘dumb Mino’.

“Just relax.” Mino can feel the sarcasm in his voice for some reasons. He snorted in his head on how can he say those words to Taehyun, of course—now is not the time that they should be on relax mode but he honestly cannot think of any other statements to say to his lover.

“Okay…okay.” Taehyun watched as people pass by them. They are sitting in a bench, waiting for the train to arrive. They arrived at the modern country—Japan. Taehyun is ecstatic to see cherry blossoms and to have a stroll on the famous midnight markets in the said country.

“There would be cherry blossoms in where we heading to.” Mino suddenly said, and Taehyun knew that once in a while Mino is slipping inside his mind. Surprisingly, he does not mind it.

“But sorry, I guess there would be no shopping area around it.” Taehyun let out a snort.

Mino smiled at the man beside him. Now he realized how much he adores the younger. He stared at the perfect lips of Taehyun, it is taking all his might as he tries to stop himself from kissing the other. Nam Taehyun is a temptation. And Mino is so proud that he is the man who can kiss Taehyun, hug him and claim him.

“Stop staring.” Taehyun wined like a baby, Mino chuckled before taking the smaller in his arms. Taehyun smiled and he nuzzled his nose on Mino’s perfectly curved collarbones. Taehyun felt something inside him, he just feels lucky that he can hug and hold Mino everytime.

Nam Taehyun feels that he will fight up to his last ounce of power just to protect their love.

Their sweet moment was disturbed by a loud sound, indicating that the train has already arrived. Mino helped his lover to gather their stuffs and they went quickly inside the train and picked a spot and let themselves doze off for a while.

There is neither sound nor people that can be heard around them.

Taehyun looked at Mino as if he is ready to hit the taller.

“Tell me we are not lost.” Taehyun said, arms clenching tightly around his duffel bag.

Mino however didn’t give any answer to the other. His eyes scanning the area, waiting for something.

Taehyun stood there; he is trying his best not to scream. He faced the taller, eyes looking staright at the other’s dark orbs. And before he could say a word, a guy suddenly appeared on his side.

Taehyun let out a shriek and he almost fall on the muddy ground—thanks to Mino’s strong arms he is saved from all the dirt he could get.

“Long time no see Mino.” The stranger greeted. Taehyun looked at him and examined his features.

        Is he like us? Taehyun asked Mino inside his mind, knowing the other can hear him. And from the corner of his eyes he saw Mino nodded lightly.

The stranger has tan skin, his thick lips added to his charisma. With his fitted V-neck, Taehyun can see that he is very well built. He looks like he just got out from the bed because of his tousled dark hair.

“Where are the others?” Mino asked, not bothering to even greet the man.

“In the house, they sent me here all alone. They think that it will be a lot easier for me to pick you up...” The man smiled and turned to Taehyun. “And of course I should also accommodate your dear Taehyun.”

Taehyun shivered for no reason, but there is an evident blush on his cheeks.

“Let’s just go.” Was all Mino said.

“Well then, Taehyun hold on to your Mino and if you don’t mind grab my hand ‘cause you gonna need it.” Taehyun looked at Mino and the latter just nodded his head. The pale boy held onto Mino’s torso while his other hand was holding the stranger’s chocolate colored hand.

“Ready? Oh by the way… My name is Kai.”

And that’s when hell loose.

Taehyun felt like he died at the same time—he felt like he was being thrown in the outer space. He can’t feel his body; it is as if he fell from a cliff. He is gasping for air. He can’t see anything.

But he can hear everything.

“It is always like that for the first timers!” he recognized the voice as the man who fetch them from the middle of nowhere—the guy named Kai.

“Oh Shut-up. I told you use the car! Not use your powers!” Someone spat back, it is a girl.

“What do you expect—Kai is an idiot.”

“Says the one who can’t even draw an egg.”

A smack.

“THAT HURTS YOU—!”

“Kris stop it, look he is almost awake!”

Taehyun saw four heads hovering over him; three guys and one girl.

“Call Mino quickly!” The girl ordered, and the man named Kai—from what Taehyun remembered immediately went outside the room calling Mino’s name loudly.

“Are you in pain?” A soft voice asked him, Taehyun saw a very handsome at the same time beautiful man blinking at him.

Taehyun only managed to let out a slight shook of his head as a response.

“Here drink some water.” The girl helped Taehyun to sit on the bed and she gave him a glass of water. Taehyun drank it in one gulp. He never realized how thirsty he is.

“I’m sorry, Kai is really an idiot, do you want to call a doctor? Or you can manage the dizziness?”

“I’m fine, I think I just need ugh….fresh air.” Taehyun replied.

“Taehyun.” He heard someone called him and he almost sprang out of the bed as he saw Mino entered the room. He noticed other also took a bath already and changed clothes.

Mino went beside his lover, took the pale hands between his and smiled at him.

“Now, that was an experience.” Mino said.

“What happened?”

Taehyun looked at the three strangers in the room, he does not know what to say.

“Well, you can say that we just entered some sort of a black hole.”

Taehyun squirted his eyes towards the tan male.

Mino let out a chuckle and said; “I never really enjoyed the idea or teleporting.”

Taehyun’s jaw dropped on the ground.

“You mean, we just teleported towards here? How….?” And then he met eyes with Kai who is smirking.

“Hey, once again I’m Kai and I am really sorry, but at least we got here faster. And you make it out alive that’s what matters.” Taehyun’s eyes became as big as a platter while he saw the girl marched towards Kai and smack the back of his head.

“Baby!!!!!!” Kai whined.

The girl hissed at him and when she turned to face Taehyun her smiley face went back.

“Hi, I’m Minzy and don’t bother with this idiot here.” Taehyun nodded and smile towards her.

“I’m Yifan by the way. You can call me Yifan or Kris or Chris as in with the ‘C’ or Kevin also. Just take your pick” The tall blonde guy introduced.

“And I can fly.” He added with his slender hands doing some motions of flying.

“I am Luhan, you can call me hyung since I hella sure I am older. I am a telepath.” The beautiful man said.

“Nice meeting you all and thank you for taking care of me. I am Nam Taehyun. I can see the future.” Taehyun greeted, but he said the last sentence in a low voice, head’s down.

The group talked for another 30 minutes. Taehyun listened as Mino and their new friends talks about The ‘X’.

“They won’t stop chasing you, not until you are y’ know… all cold and yeah.” Kai said.

“You can stay here as long as you want Mino, both of you will be safe here.” Minzy pats Mino’s shoulders.

“Does your head master know where you are?” Luhan asked.

“No. He thought we are in Jeju.”

“That .” Kris said as he shook his head.

“We plan to stay here for a couple of days. We can’t stay in one place for a long period of time. I can feel it, The ‘X’ knows where we are right now. I can’t afford you guys to be in danger because of us.” Mino muttered.

“No matter what you say, this is also our war. In some ways, we are also affected by this. So we also don’t have a choice but to interfere.”

Taehyun looked at Luhan as the other said those things.

Will this be the war of our kind?

“They are only making what Taehyun did as a reason to do more—let’s just say, immatures acts towards your academy. All in all, Taehyun is just the bait.” Luhan added.

“And also, no offense my dear Taehyun… Who knows, they are not after you but they are after Mino. After all… what will they get if they kill Taehyun? Revenge? Just that right?”

Mino clenched his fist. Taehyun gulped.

“Look guys, what if they are more on this dramatic side of performing an act? Since Taehyun is important to Mino, it is just logical to come after him.” Kris thought.

Taehyun choked on his own saliva. He can’t believe how they are talking about him as if he is not in the room.

“You’ve been reading too much novels Kris.” Kai shot back.

Kris raised his hands in defeat and went outside the room but not before saying—“Mino, take care of Taehyun. I believe that everyone is trying to catch him.”

Luhan looked at Taehyun with pity in his eyes. The deer-like boy can’t help but to think how a fragile boy can like Taehyun can survive their harsh world.

“Talk with me outside.” Luhan said to Mino.

The tan male glanced over the pale Taehyun, the latter just nodded and smiled.

“I’m going to get butterscotch for you Taehyun, you deserve some sweets.” Miny smiled.

And Taehyun can watch as everyone in the room departed.

What am I going to do?

“You have to watch you back Mino.”

Mino looked at Luhan, eyes trying to find what the other meant.

“I bet you knew the prophecy. And you know that nothing can save him.”

“Shut up.” The tan male spat.

“Minzy is still weak. She can’t see any visions for the past year. But I believe you have your own ability to help Taehyun. What a great sacrifice from Ravi.”

“I don’t want Taehyun to see his future.” Mino said firmly.

“You know that he will see it no matter what. And he needs to see it because only he can save his own self.” Luhan looked at Mino’s eyes; there is an evident desperation that can be seen.

“I plan to go back to the Academy. And I will be forever in debt with you and the others if you let Taehyun stat here.”

“You will leave him with us?” Luhan asked.

Mino nodded.

“The battle will take place a month from now. I don’t want him near the place, I will stop what is written in the prophecy.”

Luhan shook his head. “You are not stopping it! You are only making it worst!”

“Maybe if I die, everything will eventually be in the right place.” Mino whispered.

“No, if you die… who will stop them huh? If you die, every one of us will also die. Take that in mind.”

Mino felt like he will cry. He does not want any of this to happen. He thought of surrendering himself to the ‘X’ thinking maybe in that way the society will stop chasing after Taehyun. He is willing to sacrifice himself for Taehyun.

“You are making the wrong choice Mino. Dying won’t do any good to Taehyun.” And with that, Luhan took his leave, trying to stop himself from punching the certain tan male.

A scream.

The gigantic wall of the academy are filled with blood markings, the rusty smell is everywhere. All the students scamper around.

The head master took a deep breath before signaling his staffs to clean the wall.

“Scan the area, and look for any suspicious person.” He ordered.

Three students stared at their mortified head master. Jinwoo was about to approach the head master but stopped on his tracks as a loud piercing scream can be heard.

And then, one of their professors are running towards them—looking like someone is chasing her.

“Mr. Yang! Mr. Yang! You better come with me!”

Sensing that something is really wrong, the head master ran with the professor.

“What happened?” Seungyoon asked.

Jinwoo and Jinhwan shrugged their shoulders.

Mino felt shiver spread on his spine. He looked at Luhan who is also staring at him nervously across the room. Taehyun could feel the tension.

“They will pay. They will pay.” Mino chanted.

And like some sort of a film, scenes were played on Taehyun’s mind.

A coffin.

Inside, is the cold body of one very familiar person.

Hanbin.

........

author's note

AT LAST! AN UPDATE! sorry for the delay.

and yes, some angst for yah' guys /runs aways/

Would be awesome if u guys will comment and let us all spazz together :)

~!! thank u for reading <3