Chapter 9

“Damn it, Yunho, snap out of it!” Yoochun cursed as Yunho unsheathed his sword. The general drew his weapon toward Yoochun’s shoulder. Moving back, Yoochun barely managed to avoid the attack, or so he thought. The blade changed shape and grew longer till it pierced the advisor’s shoulder.

Losing his footing, Yoochun fell on the floor as he felt blood streaming out his wound. Meanwhile, Yunho was ready to give his finishing blow. Yet, before the blade touched down, the general was thrown away few meters away by a strong wind. The general knocked himself on the head as he lost his consciousness.

“…Serve you right,” Yoochun spoke as his eyes turned pitch black. Yoochun knew using his demonic power could make him lose control too, but he had to take his chances or else he would be dead. He couldn’t do much being dead, could he?

Taking a deep breath as he slowly approached Yunho, his eyes turned back to normal as he inspected his friend. He didn’t mean to hurt Yunho like that but he didn’t have any choice. The general’s eyes were closed but his breathing was fine. He knew Yunho would be okay, or so he thought.

“…What…Ack---“ Yoochun lost his balance as he fell flat on the ground. His sight began to blur when he finally realized something sharp pierced his stomach. It was a very long big blade, which belonged to the general. When he looked up, Yunho’s intimidating black eyes was staring at him. Yoochun had let his guard down.

“…Die,” was a single word Yunho muttered before he got his blade up and ready to slay his prey down. Yoochun closed his eyes, but the pain never came. A loud thud on the floor next to him was all he got. When he opened his eyes, Yunho was laying beside him. This time, the general was really unconscious, or rather…sleeping.

“That should put him to sleep for a while,” a voice Yoochun didn’t expect to hear echoed.

“You---Why---“ Yoochun couldn’t finish his sentence as he choked blood.

“Don’t move, hyung. I’m going to heal your wound,” a figure came out from darkness as he kneeled next to Yoochun,” We need to hurry before he find out. Junsu won’t keep him long occupied alone.”

“…Changmin…Why…” Yoochun could feel warm touch on his stomach as Changmin put his hand above his wound. Then, the youngest one’s eyes turned black but he was still in control; Yoochun sensed it.

“It started as dream but then I started having this strange power. I kept it quiet because I was afraid everyone would lock me down again,” Changmin spoke,” But today, it’s proved I’m not the only one…I heard what you said to Yunho hyung…I’m sorry I didn’t come out earlier…I was afraid…”

“…It’s okay,” Yoochun finally spoke after digesting Changmin’s explanation,” Just…fix me and…help me hide Yunho or something…”

“…Okay,” Changmin said as he finished closing Yoochun’s wound and both of them dragged Yunho to his own bedroom. They somehow managed to do it discreetly, without anyone noticing.

“I should probably stay with Yunho hyung,” Changmin said,” Tell the others I have fallen asleep after eating too much.”

“You’re unexpectedly calm,” Yoochun managed to say.

“I’ve faced worse,” Changmin spoke, almost sounded like he was speaking to himself. Yoochun didn’t reply to that because he didn’t know what to say. So Yoochun got out from the room, leaving Yunho in the youngest one’s care.

Yoochun returned to the dining chamber and made his excuse for both Yunho and Changmin. Junsu was happy because he could have his Jaejoong hyung for himself. In the end, Junsu almost spent the night with his Jaejoong hyung, but dragged into his own room by Yoochun. It was almost comical.

That night, Yoochun couldn’t really sleep. He needed to make sure Junsu didn’t go to Jaejoong’s room and that’s why he was sleeping next to the spoiled brat, slash that, spoiled second prince. After all, night was feast for the dark thing or rather the demon king as it was what Yoochun learnt.

Yet, Yoochun grew fond of darkness and night was his favorite time. Sometime he wished the sun never came out ever again and he knew how twisted it was; probably the demonic owl inside of him talking. He knew what he was because the demon king had told him what all of them were; what he had turned them into.

When the first sunlight hit his face, Yoochun groaned as he opened his eyes. Only to discover Junsu was nowhere inside the room. In panic as he cursed himself to fall asleep, he rushed out from the room. It was a flash, really, but what he saw left him speechless. Everything was basked in red, not the sunlight, more like hell fire. Then, it vanished and a green garden and morning sunlight greeted him.

“Chunnie! You don’t have any idea how many time I tried to wake you, geez,” Junsu’s cheerful voice brought Yoochun back as he stared at the innocent second prince. That was when Yoochun realized how afraid he was once Junsu found out the truth about everything.

“Yaaa! Are you listen---“ Junsu could finish his sentence as Yoochun pulled him into a hug. Okay, it’s not a hug, Junsu felt like Yoochun was literally crushing every bone in his body. Struggling a bit, Junsu managed to make the hug tolerable as he sighed. Those were one of many times he saw how vulnerable Yoochun was, so he decided to hug back for now.

Yoochun wasn’t paying any attention to Junsu’s comfort as he saw two figures behind the second prince. Yunho was looking at him as Changmin stood next to him. Yoochun knew Changmin had told Yunho everything and Junsu was the only one left clueless about the darkness that swallowing them.

Yoochun knew he had to unblock Junsu’s memories but again, he didn’t want to hurt him. He knew how the truth would hurt Junsu but he didn’t have any choice. He had to or all of them would be damned.

“Su…I’m so sorry, I really don’t want to do this…” Yoochun spoke as he broke the hug.

“What are you talking about?” Junsu asked, still oblivious.

“Close your eyes,” Yoochun spoke as Junsu did what he was told. It sent indescribable warmness into Yoochun’s heart how Junsu trusted him. Yet, he might about to break that trust.

Junsu wondered what was really going on, he began to worry. He heard soft whisper Yoochun said but he couldn’t fathom them. So he waited and stayed silent, until pain stuck him as he lost his ability to make any sound and sense his surroundings.

It was a nightmare, Junsu convinced himself. Yet, it felt so real. He saw scene with himself inside of it; scene he couldn’t even imagine happened even in alternative life.

His father was turning into someone he didn’t know, obsessed with dark things and almost murdered their half-brother. He tried to wake his father up but he could feel a hole on his chest as he fell on the cold ground. Everything was painful and drenched in blood. There’s no light, only endless darkness.

Junsu tried to scream but he couldn’t. He could only watch everything as he wondered was this his real reality. Yes, it was. He just forgot about it and now everything was clear as water. Junsu finally realized that his happily ever after life was fake.

“Junsu! Junsu, please answer me!” a voice Junsu held so dear echoed in the darkness he was drifted to. Yet, was it an illusion too? Was everything an illusion? Was Junsu, himself, wasn’t real?

“Hyung! Junsu hyung!” there was another voice. Maybe, Junsu did exist.

“We need you to save Jaejoong! Wake up!” a stern voice Junsu used to hate echoed. No, Junsu was real. He’s a second prince and he had tried to protect what dear to him. Yet, he failed because he was too weak. No, Junsu wouldn’t fail again, not this time.

When Junsu blinked again, he saw wooden floor. As he looked up, he saw three worried faces staring at him. But this time he knew what was happening. He could sense indescribable darkness from all of them, including himself. It disgusted him but it felt good to be so powerful all of the sudden.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Changmin was the first one to speak as they helped Junsu got up. He was sitting on the wooden floor like some kind of dumbstruck after all.

“…I’m okay,” Junsu finally spoke as he went silent. He spoke no more words nor did he smile like he usually did. It was strange but somehow, Junsu didn’t feel like laughing anymore. Yoochun noticed.

“Junsu? You sure, you okay?” Yunho asked the second time,” Because I almost killed Yoochun when I remembered it. Do you feel like killing someone?”

“Not really,” Junsu spoke, in a tone himself almost didn’t recognize,” I only want to kill that thing out of Jaejoong hyung.”

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P.S. How in the world I can finish this Arc in 1 chapter left...Um, if I add few more (maybe one or two, because I really planned this fic 10 chapters/Arc), does anyone mind?