E     G     O     -     S     Y     S     T     E     M

-   E   G   O   -
(noun); 

- your conciousness of your own identity
 

-   A L T E R   E G O  -

(noun);

- a different version of yourself
- a close friend who thinks or feels similarity to the way you think or feel

“Chanyeol hyung!!”

Everything happened so fast. He couldn’t even control his body anymore as it launched forward also. It’d probably the first time his legs ever moved so fast despite him whom never really moved that much in his entire life.

For a split second, he was glad that he was born petite. He could reach Chanyeol sooner than the beast running behind him—yes—because now he was standing in front of Chanyeol whose terrifyingly just stared blankly to nowhere particular without moving a slight inch. He tried to shook Chanyeol back to reality but he’s just failed miserably.

Kyungsoo had never felt an adrenaline rushed inside his veins like this, his heartbeat shook vigorously against his chest. He was scared to death, yes, but he’d never ever leave Chanyeol—not like this. Without actually able to do something to prevent them from hurting Chanyeol, he did the last thing that came into his mind. He hugged Chanyeol tight close to his body, forced him self mentally to be ready to receive any pain that had to come.

He whimpered, screamed even; receiving the hit like never before. He almost felt like those guys really wanted to kill Chanyeol or something, or was it just him who had a little too petite figure for his own good. They fell into the ground with Kyungsoo still clutching Chanyeol’s body like a koala, his eyes tightly shut, while he bit his lips to hold in the pain.

The only time those seniors would stop was when Kyungsoo finally lost his consciousness and fell lifelessly beside Chanyeol’s body. And that was when Chanyeol finally moved from his spot, eyeing every single person around him like a hyena. Putting Kyungsoo’s body aside lightly before he got up, anger was all over his burning eyes.

“What did you er just do to my Kyungsoo?” Their eyes shot open to the harsh words that unbelievably just came out of a 9 years old boy in front of them. They’re not even in the right age to say those words for god’s sake!

One of them shouted that they shouldn’t scared of Chanyeol and just beat him up. But that only provoked Chanyeol even more as a smirk started to grow on his usual bright and cheerful face. Seeing the change on the younger’s face they knew immediately that they had chosen the wrong move, but when they thought that they still had a chance to run, everything was too late.

Kyungsoo’s finger flinched as consciousness started to crawl back to his body. He could feel that he’s still lying on the cold tile at the same hall as before. He didn’t bother to move even the slightest from the pain on all over his whole body. The only thing he could do was just to open his eyes slowly but sure, welcoming the blurry sight first before it became clearer.

His eyes shot open with the pain spread all over his body again from the sudden move. Chanyeol was still there, stood with one hand clutching on a senior’s neck on the wall.

He finally settled up on his bottom, looking around the hall in horror. He was beyond shock, speechless even, when he found the seniors were spread around the dark hall; lying lifelessly. He then shifted his head to Chanyeol again, and the senior that was around Chanyeol’s fingers was then slid down the wall unconscious.

Kyungsoo knew that he should’ve run or something, he knew that he could ended up just the same as the seniors if he doesn’t move from his spot. But then again, it was Chanyeol that then stood right in front of him, looking down at Kyungsoo coldly. He didn’t even understand why he was so sure that Chanyeol wouldn’t do any harm to him as he just sat there looking up at his dearest stepbrother.

Kyungsoo didn’t flinch or step away from Chanyeol when he fell on his knees right in front of him. Instead, he leaned forward and caught the now limp boy around his arms. Chanyeol didn’t really fall in unconsciousness and just laid his head on the younger’s shoulder. He closed his eyes, out of energy.

In the other hand, Kyungsoo had his eyes on Chanyeol all the time. He tried to study his face, his expression—and when Chanyeol suddenly opened his eyes.

Kyungsoo frowned. “Who are you…?”

Chanyeol just smiled softly and sweetly towards him as his hand reached for his cheeks. He thumbed on it slowly.

“So you recognize me?” He chuckled dryly, his voice surprisingly in a lower octave.

“Y-you…” Kyungsoo hesitantly started. “…surely are not Chanyeol”

“Chanyeol?” He frowned and was silent for a second. “Ah the host, of course.”

He shook his head lightly. “I’m not Chanyeol, I’m not the host.”

The host? “Who are you then? Whom am I talking to?”

“Kai, the name’s Kai.” He smiled sweetly before he fell into unconsciousness.