Chapter 10

Yunho clicked his key into a minimalist wooden door hole. Slowly, he pushed the door until he could see the hallway of his apartment, making sure there’s no intruder. Okay, slash that, it’s actually a condominium. The rest couldn’t close their mouth as they got inside.

“How many credit cards did you forge?” Junsu was the first one to ask.

“Yaaa, I didn’t spend centuries stealing people money, I learnt to earn for myself,” Yunho frowned,” I used to work as bodyguard and it paid so well, especially when you’re guarding important people.”

“That’s cool, no human can break Yunho hyung’s protection,” Changmin stated the fact,” At least it’s decent job, not like someone…”

“I’m too busy searching a way to help Jaejoong hyung,” Junsu automatically answered.

“Well, Yunho worked and he did find a way,” Yoochun stated the fact as he got death glare from Junsu. It wasn’t on purpose really; Yoochun smiled an apology to Junsu. Yet, the hellhound scoffed as he sat on the living room couch.

“I’m going to get the clue, it’s in my study,” Yunho finally spoke as he disappeared, probably using his teleporting skill again. Yoochun sat next to Junsu, trying to get back on Junsu’s good side. Changmin went to the kitchen, probably trying to find anything eatable. Jaejoong decided to explore.

The condominium was big enough for the five of them. There’s one master bedroom, which was obviously Yunho’s, yet, Jaejoong found so little personal stuff. Probably because Yunho didn’t want to be attached to anything, he somehow knew living centuries life meant occasionally moving out to avoid people’s stare because they didn’t age.

Besides the master bedroom, there’re another smaller bedroom, a guest room, three minimalist-style bathroom (including in Yunho’s room), kitchen with mini-bar, dining room, living room, and a study. Jaejoong entered the study and it was almost like a library. Yunho had so many books and he wondered if Yunho spent days reading those books to find a way to help him. Jaejoong’s heart felt so warm all of the sudden.

“This’s going to take a while,” Yunho’s voice could be heard from behind a big bookshelf. Jaejoong slowly went to the back and discovered a hidden door behind the bookshelf. What he saw made him gasped. There’s this glass wall and they’re full of writing in many languages, photos, and various color of strings connected them. Yunho noticed Jaejoong’s surprise.

“Well, this’s what I get after searching for exactly 534 years,” Yunho smiled softly,” I did find a way to help you, Jaejoong ah.”

“Yunnie…” Jaejoong kneeled next to Yunho, who’s busy putting paper and some stuff in a box,” …Thank you…”

Yunho really didn’t expect Jaejoong to hug him. Smiling, Yunho returned the warm embrace as he noticed how he missed Jaejoong so much. The memories of Jaejoong were the only thing that kept him going on these years.

“Um, I’m happy for this crazy treasure hunter you’ve been doing, hyung. But we need to get somewhere unreachable by archangel,” Junsu’s voice woke Yunho as he let go of Jaejoong and finished gathering the clue in the box.

“Beside, we don’t want your super nice place gets destroyed,” Yoochun joined,” We need a place to live once this all over after all…”

“Really? We’re going to live here once it’s over?” over-excited Changmin showed up with mouth full of food,” I mean, I love Yunho’s hyung fridge…”

Yunho was lost at words; he wondered what the hell the others did with their life for years. He was expecting all of them to have stable life. Sighing, Yunho got the box up and told them to it’s time to leave. He would explain the stuff in the box after they found a really safe place.

“So we’re heading there, right?” Yoochun made sure as Yunho nodded. Jaejoong noticed how Junsu and Changmin grew silent. He wondered where they would be going.

“Hyung, we’re going to the underground prison,” Junsu finally said as he bit his lips.

“…Okay,” Jaejoong gulped. He was actually scared, especially because the nightmare he had of the place before. But now, he wasn’t alone, he had his friend and family with him, Jaejoong convinced himself.

“But there’s a problem,” Changmin said,” We don’t know what will happen to hyung if we go there. Hyung might be okay or bad memories might return. But the demon king will be the weakest there and archangel can’t find us there…”

“That sounds good enough,” Jaejoong finally said,” Don’t worry, I’ll be okay.”

So, without any further delay, they got out from Yunho’s place and Yoochun activated his invincible skill. Jaejoong was the only one who didn’t know where the prison was so he just followed them. They jumped from roof to roof for almost half an hour until they reached the skirt of the city. They went through a deserted highway and not stopping until they reached a big junction.

Jaejoong could see the sky began to lose the sunlight as night almost came. Before, his eyes might have trouble of the darkness but now he could see as clear as day; blame the demonic power. He noticed Yunho put a small box on the middle of the junction. If he wasn’t mistaken, he saw something like a rabbit foot and some twisted things he saw on supernatural movie.

“Hyung, make a circle with us,” Changmin said as Jaejoong did what he was told. They made a circle as Yunho began to whisper some spell. Jaejoong just waited until the ground below him cracked and a black hole swallowed them whole.

“It’s okay hyung, this’ll over before you know it,” Junsu’s voice echoed as Jaejoong closed his eyes. He could feel he fell in inhuman speed and their connected hand kept him sane enough to not scream his lungs out. Like it never happened, Jaejoong was standing in circle with others when he opened his eyes. They’re in like underground cave and blue fire around them was the only thing lightened their way in the small passage.

“Come on,” Yoochun said as Yunho leaded the way. There’s an unsettling feeling inside Jaejoong that grew stronger as they proceeded deeper. Yet, Jaejoong tried his best to ignore it. It felt like forever until they reached a bigger room and there’s decent space to sit.

“This’s deep enough,” Yunho spoke as he sat on the ground and was ready to open the clue box. It sounded weird but it’s one way to say it. He noticed the others didn’t sit yet, so he looked up to ask what’s wrong. That’s when he noticed something was wrong with Jaejoong.

Jaejoong was frozen still and Junsu was asking what’s wrong with him. Changmin nearly went off balance when Jaejoong suddenly moved and walked though him like being possessed. Yoochun tried to pull Jaejoong back to reality but he was shoved away. Yunho immediately went to Jaejoong’s side and noticed how soulless Jaejoong’s eyes were.

Jaejoong ignored them as he moved deeper into the cave. He walked like a corpse doll. It wasn’t the demon king, they would sense it. Yet, it wasn’t Jaejoong too. It was like Jaejoong’s body moved on its own. Without any choice, they followed Jaejoong from behind. It took them few minutes to realize where Jaejoong headed to.

“He’s going to the prison,” Junsu said with a horror in his voice,” We need to stop him!”

Yet, before any of them could move, soulless Jaejoong turned back and used his hand to make them stop. Slowly, he shook his head and they swore for a moment, Jaejoong’s eyes turned to normal. Then, Jaejoong kept walking forward until he reached big metal bars. Slowly, Jaejoong touched one of the bars as he moved closer and leaned his head on it. Tears began to flow on his cheeks.

“Hyung…What are you doing? Stop!” Changmin panicked when they saw Jaejoong went inside the prison. They followed Jaejoong in haste, just to see Jaejoong was staring at the big stoned seal they used to seal him and the demon king. It was like some kind of round wall shaped like an enormous coin with a lot of demonic-seal carving.

“It’s exactly the same like the one in my nightmare…” Jaejoong’s voice broke the silence as he turned around and faced them. They felt their heart smashed to pieces when they saw tears on Jaejoong’s cheek as he cried helplessly and fell on the ground

Yunho was the first one to wrap his arms on Jaejoong as he teleported on the spot. The rest followed and Yoochun couldn’t help but to curse when he saw all the chains were still there, right on spot they left them. That’s why they didn’t want Jaejoong to come here.

“It was…cold and dark…I was so scared,” Jaejoong sobbed,” It’s so painful…I kept calling but I couldn’t make a sound…and no one came…I wished it would just end…”

“God, I’m so sorry Jae,” Yunho said as all of them broke down as they tried their best to calm Jaejoong down,” We’re here hyung…We’re here now…We won’t leave you alone ever again…”

“…I know…” Jaejoong was still sobbing when a lot of images stormed into him. He remembered now, everything, but it was too much until he couldn’t mutter any sound and went to a complete black out from the shock; leaving Yunho, Yoochun, Junsu, and Changmin calling his name endlessly.