I look at him in the eye more intently as I did before. This could not be happening but it is, I am seated across Onew ; the only thing separating us is a table – interrogation style. The one from the future. as much as i want to wrap my mind around it, i cannot but that doesn't stop me from the curiosity.  Nothing much has changed, but I can see the definition is his muscles. The scars he now bore in his arms and most of all, the light in his eyes darkened. His aura has the similarity to what I feel now, but this one is much stronger. Much, much stronger. I am still dazed from the kiss and as we pulled away, we decide that its better to explain what is happening. 

“ this is too weird,” I voice our and he only smiles. 

“ tell me about it.”

“ how can you be from the future?? ”

He answers me quickly, “that’s easy,someone helped me with time travel.”

“why are you here?” I shot at him once more. 

“to make sure things will work out well.”



His words frighten me. Did something go terribly wrong that he had to come in her, come back and try to redo everything? Did the world fall to the resistance? 

“ something happened, that’s why”. I am tired of the cryptic answers and I tug him for more.

“ what happened? Please. Tell me. ” I look at him pleadingly and it seemed to affect him. This Onew is different, his attraction towards me is stronger. Like he does not want to lose sight of me. That he wants to be with me. As flattering and fortunate it is- we are still practically strangers. Somehow, I know that this will not be that easy. I cannot just run to him at once. 

“ something happened – you see, Minah ignited and- ”

I gaped at him and he just nodded. 

“ BUT I AM THE TRIGGER! ” I protest and he nods again. “ I am the trigger, I will never do that. I will never allow her to put everyone in danger.” I defended myself and he implores for more time. His actions tells me that he does not want to say anything. 

“ Key, please understand that if I tell you everything, your mind and the course of things will change. It will be harder for me to lead you all to the right way.” He sighs, frustrated. On that moment, I felt sorry for him. It is a taxing duty to have the fate of everyone in your hands. Even in the future, onew bears the burden of everyone. I cringed at the thought. 

“ I do. But you can’t blame me for that. So, you are here to stop the apocalypse? ”

“ no. the apocalypse is inevitable.”

The finality in his words are so definite that I suddenly want to hide away to make that not happen. 

“ but I can- I can stop it from anything.”

“ Look. That is my problem for now, not yours. Just stick with the covenant in the meantime.”

So, future onew is bossy as well? Seems like things never changed. He catches my smirk and I straighten my face. Listening eagerly. 

“ a incident happened that time, it was you key.”

“ yah. Why do I always have to be stupid?” I complain but he does not smile.

“ you are not stupid key, you helped a lot but it affected you and in the end-”

“what?” I press on. 

“ you died, a year ago.” He says in an almost whisper and I am floored by his whisper. 

You know when they say that the shock you get when someone tells you that you will die in months is incredible? Well, how do I classify this? My minds goes haywire at the thought that I will just be leaving for how many years from now. Not even past 30. 

“ how?”

“ complication- you got sick. Just like taeyeon.” He explains and I can only nod. 

“ so you’re here to make sure I won’t die?”

“yes.” He simply says and I wanna cry on the spot for this revelation. He went all these miles for me to come back and be alive. 

“ but isn’t that illegal and too personal?”

“ I argued that you are an asset to us.”

That’s something onew will do. Trust him to make his personal life be a matter of the covenant. We stay in silence again and I blink a couple of times, willing all of these to go away. But they don’t. this is indeed reality. 

I look around the room and I take it in once more. Just a bed and walls filled with information about us and another door. Then, the way out. A wide window. I suddenly feel just a little bit claustrophobic. I look at onew once more, trying to start the conversation. I Glance at him, seeing him playing with a ring in his hand. He adjusts it but he does not take it off. 

“ that ring is gorgeous” I compliment him and he smiles weakly. 

“ ofcourse you like it, you were the one who chose it.”

I bit back my tongue and he recognizes my uneasiness. 

“ it must be hard for you- to accept this all.” He asks, 

“ it is, cause just the other day- I was about to vomit seeing you and Luna have breakfast together like newlyweds.” I answered back bitterly and regretted it after. Its not his fault, I should not take it out on him. Im too much of a coward to talk to Onew that I blame it on this other Onew. 

“ you’re jealous. I like that.” He teases and I glare at him. 

“ the ring is really gorgeous-” I repeated and eyed it once more. 

“ yes. And it should, cause this is our wedding ring.” He replies and my eyes widen. This day is really full of surprises. I will get married? “ hey, don’t freeze up on me.” He jokes but I am not laughing. 

“ are you serious?” I ask him and he fishes out something in his pocket, an identical one and hands it over to me. 

“ I believe this is yours. ”

Taking it in my hand, I cannot believe what this ring promised. A lifetime together with onew. I must be shaking because onew comes over to me and pulls me in a tight embrace. 

“ hey, im sorry if this is going too fast- but we don’t have much time. And- I miss you, I just miss you.”

I fought the urge to cry and I pulled back, wearing the ring on my finger and he raises hi eyebrow. 

“ this is mine, so I will wear it.” I say to him and he pulls me close. 

And I'd seen how he looked at me. It was undeniable, the desire, the lust, the need. I knew because I felt it to, every single day. It was torture, being around him. From the very moment I'd set eyes on him… that was it. The end. Or the beginning. 

His mouth was on mine again before I could say or do anything. I kissed him back with fervor, with passion and it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. His tongue pushed into my mouth aggressively, much more aggressively than I ever would have thought possible from him. He'd always seemed so shy. But I liked it and it spurred me on. My hands found purchase in his hair and I was tugging and he was and it was pure ecstasy.

We stumbled back towards the table, Onew pushing me against it roughly. Hell yes, this is what I wanted. I had always hoped that somewhere deep down inside him, Onew had this in him, to lose his inhibitions, even if it was just with me. I knew he had it in him and I was amazed to know that I could pull it out of him.

I bucked my hips up against him eagerly, letting him know just how much I wanted him and I gasped into his mouth when he ground right back.

Needed… more…

It was all a blur. One moment we were on this desk and now, we are in his bed. My hands moved over his body, trying to memorize every plane, every hard muscle in his body. I was drowning in sensation, unable to breathe. I was aware that my shirt was now ed and currently being pulled from my dress pants, but I was more interested in the way Onew's fingers trailed down my stomach, running underneath the waistband. My hips bucked against his, and I eagerly moved my own hands to pull at his shirt, my hands running up his back, using my nails when it became clear he wanted this a little rough.

This was too good. I am not a lawyer, but I knew that had to be some secret law that I was unaware I was breaking. Because it felt illegal. Too damn amazing for its own good.

I had been fighting this for too long. Since the moment I laid eyes on him at that first meeting, I knew I was in trouble. It wasn't the first time I was attracted to a schoolmate or a friend, but it had never been so potent, so lethal of an attraction before.
Like I would die if I didn't have him.

I stopped thinking when his hand cupped my , which was dying to burst through my pants. It was painful in the most pleasurable way I'd ever experienced.

", " I sighed, wrenching my lips away to tug on his strange and beautiful brown hair. I my hips into his hand and nearly came just from the sensation. Either I was insane, or he was just that good. Perhaps a healthy combination of both.
My theory was proven when Onew bit down on my neck and I threw my head back, and the room spun. I groaned, partly from the sensation, and partly because somehow he'd found my favorite spot. Soooo good….

"I want you so bad," he groaned into my ear, the very first thing he'd said to me all night. His voice was deep and husky, and it aroused me even more. "Don’t leave me again. ever"


And I doubt that I will. 


/////////////////
The first one I tried to call is Taemin and he answered me quickly, yelling and cursing at me- in tears. I bit back my tongue and repeatedly said that I am sorry and I will be coming back. I hear all their voices except for onew. I feel my skin shudder as I expected what Onew will tell me. As I say my goodbye, I stand up and make my way out but a hands grasps mine, 

“ I will be an to you when you go back, just deal with it.” He smirks and suddenly, I feel like I can do anything. Crazy as they may sound. 

“ you don’t scare me that much.” I boast and onew only chuckles. 

“ oh. You have no idea.” We kiss once more and I turn to leave.

There is nothing that I cannot possibly do now. As unbelievable and terribly confusing the situation is- I cannot help but feel a bit more hopeful. To think that after all this pain, I will be married and be with him. Its worth it. I can and I will endure. 

The cab dropped me off infront of the apartment. Onew’s. 

As I open the door, my stomach plummets as I see everyone who is there. Taemin, Minho, JOnghyun, Jino, TOP, GD, Yesung, Professor K, Luna and even eric. And on the far side, Onew. He is not even looking at me. I notice him clenching his fist and I am bewildered at seeing him like this. Moments ago, we shared something so intimate. But that was not him, atleast not yet. 
This will be harder than I thought. 

“ what were you thinking?” Taemin rushed over to me and embraced me. I can see TOP giving me a disapproving look and I feel bad for that, I always looked up to him. I do not need to say anything to GD as he is reading my mind like an open book.

Professor K was more open and asked me what happened. I told them what happened, leaving the part where the masked man’s face was revealed. I only tell them that I woke up in some strange place. 

“ he is incredibly strong we don’t have a trace or info on hi, this is the first time he came up on the radar.’ GD Explains. Apparently, he had been doing some research. 

“ but I think he is on our side.” I offer. 

Eric tells me that I will be briefed tomorrow morning and that we all should take a rest. I make my way to the kitchen for a glass of water but I am stopped when I see Onew, coming towards me. 

Oh . Before I can even react, his fist connected to my cheek in a fierce punch. God that hurt. 

“ that’s for being so selfish and stupid.” He calls me out. I mentally thank him for not doing this infront of many people. Perhaps that is his reasoning as well. This is between the both of us. It hurt like hell but I put up a front. 

“ good punch you got there.” I say to his anger rises. 

“ this is not a in joke. You could have died.”

A pang of guilt is upon me again and I stop myself from reaching out to him and kissing him. I want to do it so badly, but I must contain myself. This is not him. Its not that easy in reality. 

“ I just didn’t want you guys to be involved,”

“ when will you get it key? You are part of the covenant, whatever happens to you- happens to us. Its like this link that won’t get off, wheter you like it or not.”

His words filled the area and I am thankful that no one walked in. I can only nod my head and apologize, then proceed to play with the ring. Our supposed to be wedding ring. Damn it. This is so absurd. 

“ I have something to tell you.” I start, this is it. I wont lie to him again. He has to be the first person I say this too. And perhaps, even the only person I can trust with this secret.

“ what?” he asks, mildly interested. 

“ I am the trigger.” I state and he moves towards me, 

“ what? How? Are you sure???”

“ I tried calming minah down, I was trying to help her- but then comething happened and she was glowing- her aura increased to this limit- and she says she felt it too. Her floodgates opening-” I ramble but onew is just holding my shoulder and listening. Then he pulls me close and I feel his heart beat through his chest and into mine. 

“ I cant believe this.” He voiced out. 

“ me too. ” I whisper and I pull away, looking into his eyes. It pains me to see that this is too different to the pair ive been staring at a while ago. 

“ we will find a way- and lets keep this to the both of us.” I sigh in relief. 

“ thank you Onew.” I tell him sincerely and he walks away, towards the counter. 

“ I won’t let them get to you.” He says sternly with his back against me. Some things never change. But I have a lot to do, I should not get in the way of whatever the future onew will do. Luna enters the kitchen and the mood suddenly lifts, I am reminded once more that this is a different time. A different place. 

“ I should be leaving,” I say to no one in particular and Luna genuinely smiles at me and asks me something I did not expect, 

“we should get lunch together sometime okay?”

I can only nod and shuffle out of their house. This will be really interesting. 

/////////////////////////////////

One week after 

“ I WILL DIE. ” Taemin dramatically tells me as we woke up that morning. I raise my eyebrows, thinking that this is a taeyeon freaky thing going and I realize that its not. He is just dead nervous about their dance competition.

“ oh. You will kick their and win, don’t worry.” I tell him and throw him a pillow. He did not even retaliate. He is indeed scared as hell. 

“ you will do just fine, we will be there to cheer you on.” I wink at him and get up. The cold on my feet immediately woke me up the second time. I look out the window and see a lot of people outside. Its funny how we have to stop our work on the covenant and go back to our normal lives for now. Who knew? All we have to do today is enjoy this dance competition night. Which reminds me, I will act like an all around usher along with Onew as we are part of the council. Spending all those time with him will kill me. I realize that Taemin is not moving at all and I pull him out. 

“ NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ” He squeaks out and I hear a loud thud, like someone just fell from the bed. I turn around and see no one. But the look in taemin tells me everything. 

“ MINHO, I am not that stupid. Come out.” I hissed and lo and behold, there he is materializing infront of me. Minho is ni pajamas, I want to strangle him but I realize that his and taemin’s relationship have gone a step further and I should not be such a scrooge. 

“ goodmorning key.” He says sheepishly and its just so cute how taemin comes to his defense. 

“ I was the one who came up with the idea, he had nothing to do with it.”

I smile at the both of them and huffed towards the bathroom.

“ just don’t go ninja invincible on me the next time you have sleep overs- ” I tell them and I pointed my toothbrush towards minho, “and we have a spare mattress, no sharing.”

He flushed at that and I chuckled. They looked like two teenagers caught making out in the bedroom. The events of the past week quickly replayed in my mind. How I met the members of the resistance and the unusual comfort I found in the. They were like us, they had the powers and they are fighting for something they believe in. we just have different beliefs that is. 

I remember how G.O quickly picked up his things and fixed his mess when tiffany told him too. On how hyuna looked like the average college student who had lots of homework but still preferred parties. Why did we have to get caught up in this war anyway? 

I make a mental note to visit yoogeun and maybe minah as well. It had been decided that she will be staying in the manor and jonghyun volunteered to be her guard. Surprisingly, Jessica agreed as well. 

Feeling a hard thing on my finger I notice that I am wearing our wedding ring. My heart swelled with the thought and the hope in my heart intensified as well. 

For the whole week, Onew did not even talk to me. He cannot even look at me! The Future onew did not contact me as well and im just a feeling a tad bit desperate for any connection at all. I will take it. 
Opening the door, I see that Taemin is already wide awake and fixing his clothes. Minho is gone as well. I take this as my cue to till he folds. 

“ SO, You two.” I inquire suggestively and he flushes. Just seeing taemin blush like this is enough to make my morning. I know its pure torture for him, but well, that’s what he gets for sneaking his boyfriend here. 

“ we’re friends.” He squeaks and I plop down on his bed, distracting him from fixing his clothes. 

“ oh,. Cause friends have to turn invisible on me so he can sleep right next you.” He doesn’t answer to that, instead, he fixes his things some more. “ what’s the score, really?”

“ we have come to an understanding. But its not clear yet,” 

“what’s not clear? Its clear as day for me Taemin. Trust me. ” I emphasize and he gives up arranging his things. 

“its not clear if he really does have feelings for me or its because i look like taeyeon .” he says finally and I notice the quiver in his voice. 
“ come on, can you please stop that argument okay? Can you?”

“ I can’t. I look like taeyeon, ive seen her pictures. And it’s the only reason why he even turned and looked at me. So, I CANNOT GIVE IT UP.” He replies, with his voice rising on the last words. I stand up and lift his chin up so he can look at me properly.

“ LOOK, You may look like twins but you are two different people okay? He will be such and idiot to not notice that. I mean, can she dance like you?” I offer and he just smiles,

“well, she’s a in awesome seer that can save the universe.”

I groan at his answer and he can only shrug. 

“ right now, that thing that is happening with you is helping. And you said it yourself, you can handle it all for now- as long as you can help the covenant.”

“ I can. But there is still this feeling, I want to get taeyeon’s pice out of me.”

“ its right to feel that way, who would want to share their body with someone?” I take his bag and fixed his things for him. He heads to the shower and I see that his group mates from the dance team are calling or texting him already. I call him out and headed out the door. Donghae is seriously pissing me off again, calling all of us. 

He is incredibly panicky right now. This competition will be attended by people from different universities. 7 groups are in and we will also have artists that will perform. And the council members will act like the responsible parents. You cannot blame me from being just a bit distant with donghae, after all, the last time I helped him- I ended up in VI’s arms. I shudder at the memory. 

“ KEY. YOU ARE HERE! You need to do this,” Donghae starts as soon as he sees me and Jino catches my eye. He puts a fake knife in his heart to emphasize the torture he had been going through.

“ you will be paired with onew for duties,” I hear donghae say and I did a double take.

“I- WHAT?”

“ Be paired with onew for duties, he is your senior and I can see that you are close, so it wont be a problem.” He tells me and I can only say yes. Ugh.

The whole morning and afternoon is uneventful. Onew is still not talking to me and I can almost cry just seeing him from afar. He was just doing something simple, cutting up papers and writing stuff on paper but I take it all in. How pathetic. I tell myself. Then I wonder why of all the people in this world, I managed to fall for him. Was it all this big destiny making its plans known to me? What if I did not go to the library that night then I won’t meet him. What if he did not take that dagger for me? 

“earth to key,” I hear jonghyun and I snapped to look at him.

“ how is minah?” I quickly ask, 

“ yah! You are not even going to ask how im doing?”

“ oh, you’re emotions are very dependent t how minah is doing.” I say truthfully and the color drains from his face. Maybe I should not have been that blunt. 

“ jonghyun, there is not sense in denying it, you like her.” I snap at flyers at him so he can give them out. 

“ look who’s talking.” He huffs and I wonder if that is what he really said. With all the people in my life, the ones who know that I love Onew are Taemin (and maybe minho), professor K (just because he is so good at reading people) and maybe Jino. Donghae calls us out, telling us to change and soon the university field will be packed. I look out the window, there are a lot of people- parking is already getting crazy. 

////////////

“ hi.”

“welcome.”

“have fun!”

“ go taemin!”

Those are the words I kept on saying before everything starts. I am in my place for the ticketing entrance, dressed in casual clothes. Then someone lightly taps me and I caught the scent that is enough to drive me off the edge. Onew. He is wearing skinny jeans and a shirt that looked too good even for him. 

“ sorry im late, where are the tickets?”

“I hand them over and he cuts them, letting people in. soon, the place is packed and I did not even have a chance to talk to onew. We were so busy. When taemin came on, the crowd went wild as this is home court as you may say. 

“we will win this.’ Onew tells me and I am surprised that this is the first time in one whole week that he talked to me casually, I had to take this opportunity, 

“ yeah, they have been working hard, ” I supply and he only nods, getting distracted again by setting everything in order. 

The judges are now deliberating and everyone is possibly placing their bets. The crowd stilled as the chief gets the mic to speak and he only uttered – LUCIFER (It’s the name of the school’s dance troupe.) everyone went wild an di jumped up and down. And suddenly, I feel something crash into me, pulling me into a tight embrace. Onew. I sighed into his scent and the way that finally, I have come close. Btu he pulls away quickly and I notice his discomfort. 

Thankfully, Jino comes into the picture.

“ PARTY! ” He calls out and he already has a wine bottle in his hand, I can only follow him. Leaving onew all alone. 

The after party was crazy. Taemin and thre rest of the troupe are heroes, I smile at him as I see that Minho did not leave his side the whole time. I chance a glance at the whole place and notice that Luna is slow dancing with Onew. I had to get away. 

I need fresh air. 

Walking out of the hall, I look up the sky and feel someone come closer to me. Its him. I know this aura. 

“ I haven’t seen you in a week,” I tell him, with my eyes closed and he stands beside me and takes my hand in him. As my eyes open I turn to him, this is the different onew. Out of time onew. 

“ its confusing me.” I tell him and he pulls me close.

“ are you jealous back there?” 

“ what do you think? ” I snap and he can only snigger at my remark.

“ don’t worry, it will be worth it. You just wait, that me- the onew in there is different. I was so confused and I had a lot on my plate.”

“ I understand, its just that- sometimes, I wish that I had never met you. The future you.” I look down, avoiding his gaze. I know the words will hurt him. Me not wanting to see him when he went through all this trouble just to save me. “ its hard to be happy and look forward to being with you, when everything that is happening to me right now is terrible. You won’t talk to me. ” I reply bitterly and he does not say anything. We stayed this way, just hand in hand. But he pulls away as I hear footsteps coming towards me. 


“ key?” its onew. The present onew. 

“ nothing, just came out for fresh air. Its packed in there.” I answer and he seems to agree, he hands me a can of soda and I take it. 

“ Look, im sorry for how I acted, I just wasn’t ready to talk to you. I was just so pissed with what you did. Everyone was so worried.” He voiced out and I swallowed hard.

“ well, im abit mad at me as well. ”

He chuckles and its back again, like how we used to be. Maybe fate wasn’t against me after all, maybe I just have to wait and stop being this whiny . 

“ I hope no one gets hospitalized back there. Everyone is getting -faced” I complain and he can only nod. 

“ don’t worry, booze control is working really well.” He winks at me we walk back to the hall. As we do, I step on something not right and stumbled. He quickly grabbed my hand for support and electricity shot up in my body. Oh perfect Kim Key, way to keep it low. Feel electric with his mere touch. I berated myself for being this easy. 

“is that a new ring?” he asks me as he lets go of my hand. Instinctively, I show it off to him. 

“wonderful isn’t it?”

“yes. I like it, classic.”

“glad you said that- its-” I cute my sentence short as I realize what im about to tell him. Yeah, its our wedding ring and im sure he will bolt and think that I am crazy. I still have my sanity so I just keep my mouth shut. He waits for my answer. 

“a friend of mine gave it to me.”

I see everyone is obviously having fun and I am too tired to join in.

“im gonna bail” I tell him and he looks disappointed. 

“are you sure?”

I nod at him affirmatively but I had to say one more thing before he goes. 

“ Onew, can we tart all over again?” I look down on the ground again, I cannot talk properly if I have to look him in the eye. “ like, can we be friends? Like nothing happened.”

“ I can’t forget what happened.” He counters and my heart sinks. But he quickly explains, “I am willing to be by your side, be your friend- wheter you do the good thing or you screw up. I remember the good times Key, I really do and as well as the bad ones. That’s just me.”
I understand his predicament and we both agree. We will start again. We walk away from each other and I cannot help but look back at him. 
As I shut the door, I immediately collapse. I did not even realize how tired I am. Both physically and emotionally

. I turn on the lights and I am startled as I see a huge graffiti over the head of my bed. I immediately look around to see if anyone is here. I stare at it as I dial Jino’s number on my phone, 

“ hello?” he asked, and I cannot hear him that well because of the noise in his end. 

“ its an emergency, he;s back.”

There on my wall, written on the same handwriting as the first notes that were given to me before. Perhaps we were wrong, thinking that VI is the one behind the plan before. He died. Im sure of that. My knees weaken as I read the print over and over again and the fear in my skin would not leave me alone. Suddenly, I don’t feel so tired anymore. 

In dark green paint, sprayed all over where the words formed into: A Traitor is in your midst.