Chapter 3

Jaejoong was standing in a rain; he had no idea how he got there though. The sky was so dark and only moon light lightened his sight. He was wearing a plain t-shirt and a leather jacket. His clothes were beyond wet and he could feel coldness to his bones. Shivering, he looked around for a shelter but he found none. He was inside an empty long alley he didn’t know. He wasn’t even sure if he was in the same area he lived.

He remembered waking up in unfamiliar bedroom before and Junsu was there. Oh yes, they’re in Yoochun’s parents’ house because their apartment was burnt. Wait, how come Jaejoong couldn’t remember anything about the fire? He knew he would at least remember something, but he didn’t.

The coldness began to eat him as he felt everything was terribly wrong. He was scared and confused. He used to hate his routine because Yoochun and Junsu was treating him like invalid, but now he wished he could return to those times. At least, he wasn’t in pain and everything was okay. Now, he wasn’t even sure whether he was dreaming or losing his mind.

Something crashed behind him and Jaejoong immediately turned back. He saw a metal trashcan fell on the ground but he couldn’t find any clue what or who would cause such thing. He thought it was another one of his nightmare. Yet, he was wrong when he felt something incredibly sharp graced the back of his skin.

Screaming in pain, Jaejoong ran as fast as he could, only to fall on the cold ground. Jaejoong was convincing himself again for a moment this was another nightmare until he touched his back and saw blood on his hands. Jaejoong cried for help but the rain fell down so hard on the ground until no one could hear his plea. The alley was so isolated and he had no idea which was to go. He decided to face the one hurt him for now.

Jaejoong couldn’t believe what he saw when he turned back. There was this lion-like creature, crouching in front of him as its bore its fangs. Its claws were marking the ground as it walked toward Jaejoong. He could hear snake’s hiss and he thought his ears were playing trick on him. It wasn’t though, a snake head arose from the creature tails as it danced mockingly at him. Still not weird enough, Jaejoong realized the creature had another head on its torso, it looked like a goat.

He knew that the threat was real that moment as he got up and ran as fast as he could. The creature followed him from behind and he could feel the ground trembled. Jaejoong decided even if he had to crawl, he wouldn’t let this came-out-of-film-mystical-creature killed him. It would be utterly ridiculous and he still had a lot of question unanswered.

Jaejoong saw an abandoned building and the door was open. He decided to go inside to avoid the creature. He slipped below a broken bed and hid. He was sure the creature wouldn’t find him there. The door was too small for the monster and he prayed the building structure was strong enough to hold it off.

The creature’s heavy breathing echoed and Jaejoong could feel himself almost got out from his hiding place and ran away. He closed his eyes and tried to breathe slowly. He could do this, he was sure he had played hide and seek at least once before when he was a kid even though he couldn’t remember it. He hoped he was a good hide. He waited and waited until he could no longer hear anything.

“!!!” Jaejoong almost screamed when he felt something pulled his feet.

“Shhhh,” a soft voice whispered to him,” It’s okay, it’s me.”

Jaejoong noticed it wasn’t the monster, so he decided to come out and looked at an unknown man in front of him. The man was wearing furry mantle and some kind of mask. It covered his upper face like some phantom of the opera mask. Jaejoong cursed like things just weren’t ed up enough.

“I’m expecting you to be happy seeing me after such a long time but you’re cursing,” the man laughed softly,” Let’s get out of here first.”

Before Jaejoong could ask who he was and whether he was the creature’s friend or his, he was dragged out from the building. He followed the man as he felt nostalgic feelings from their connected hands. The palm was bigger than his and it somehow made him felt safe.

They stopped for a while on every junction, to make sure the creature wasn’t there. It didn’t take long until they reached the main road. It was empty because it passed midnight but Jaejoong couldn’t help to sigh in relief.

“Watch out!!!” the unknown man suddenly shouted as Jaejoong turned back and saw the creature was few steps away from him, running and ready to tear him apart. He didn’t know how but he was pulled back and the man got a big sword out of nowhere to counter attack the beast.

Jaejoong fell on his on the ground but he could care less. The sight he saw in front of him was beyond logic. The creature breathed fire and the man dodged it like it was some sick circus show. Then, the man used his super big sword to smash the creature off the ground. The sword changed shaped into a long thin one and cut the air endlessly fast. Jaejoong’s eyes couldn’t follow the man’s movement. He thought for a moment, the man was flying.

Frozen beyond words, Jaejoong could only stare until the creatures vanished into thin air. It was like it wasn’t there but the damage of the fight was obvious. He could see the asphalt road fractured and broken here and there.

“Come on, we need to get out of here before the police comes,” the man said as he pulled Jaejoong up and wanted to drag him again. Jaejoong had enough of being dragged into the things he didn’t understand, he was sick of it. He released himself from the man’s gasp. The man looked at him with question eyes and that was when Jaejoong realized how dazzlingly beautiful those chocolate marble pair of orbs were.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” the man asked as he inspected him. He cursed when he saw Jaejoong’s back. The bleeding had stopped but the claw mark was still there.

“Who are you?” Jaejoong managed to mutter his first question. The man frowned at him, and then he took off his mask. Jaejoong saw the man’s face and he had to say he’s quite handsome for some freaky eccentric guy that just saved him.

“I thought you would know me by my voice and power,” the man looked a bit disappointed as he continued in soothing voice,” I’ll explain things later, just come with me for now, okay?”

Police sirens could be heard from far away, Jaejoong couldn’t refuse. He knew the man saved him so probably he wasn’t someone bad. He followed the man until they reached a safe distance. He decided to ask more.

“Seriously, who are you? Why did you save me? What’s that thing that almost killed me?” Jaejoong knew he was bombarding with question but he could care less. The man’s jaws dropped on the floor literally, for a few seconds before he frowned and looked at Jaejoong.

“Jae, it’s not funny. I know we have been apart for so long but you can’t pretend to forget me. Even if you’re mad at me and the others for sealing you away for centuries, we did that to buy time. We have been searching for a way to save you all this time. You have to understand,” the man said and Jaejoong couldn’t process everything he just heard. Did he just hear he was sealed for centuries? Was this some kind of sick joke everyone was pulling at him?

“Jaejoong hyung!”

Jaejoong saw worried Junsu running toward him from across the street. He was beyond relief as he embraced his brother tightly. At least Junsu was here now, everything should be alright. It took him a while to realize Junsu was staring at the unknown man in shock.

“Junsu, do you know him?” Jaejoong asked.

“…Yunho hyung,” Junsu said the name,” How can you…Wait, did you kidnap Jaejoong hyung?”

“What?” Yunho couldn’t believe his ears,” I just saved your brother from a starving chimera and then he claimed he didn’t remember me. Now, you accused me of kidnapping him? What in the world happened when I wasn’t here?”

Jaejoong didn’t know how to react. Junsu knew the man, Yunho. Yunho claimed to know Jaejoong but Jaejoong didn’t. Was Yunho someone from his part that Junsu and Yoochun never told him before? Why they never mentioned him before?

“We need to talk,” Junsu finally said,” Follow me…”

Jaejoong couldn’t disagree; they had to have a long talk. He was sure he would. Jaejoong and Yunho followed Junsu until they reached their new place, Yoochun’s parent’s house. Jaejoong noticed the house was medium-sized and a bit dark? Jaejoong wondered if Yoochun inherited his darkish things from his parents.

Junsu stopped on the doorway when he saw two pair of unknown shoes. One pair was torn apart beyond shape. Yunho noticed Junsu’s uneasiness as he told them to walk behind him. They walked slowly and were ready for any creature attack but found none. The living room, kitchen, and bathroom were free off monster. The bedroom was the only one left. Yunho opened the door as he was greeted by the face he missed. He couldn’t help to mutter the name.

“Changmin…”