Onew’s POV

I cannot believe they did this- that they actually allowed this to happen. As I look at his unconscious body against the pale green sheets my anger is diminishing. Why on earth did he think it was a good idea? I told him that i can keep him safe and its unecessary. We are not even sure that its true that the resistance got the Healer. 

I have this theory, supported by professor K as well. That they found someone whose power is similar to the healer but not necessarily the one. It was just a ploy to alert the covenant- like a trick to distract us. From what? We have no idea. But i have a good feeling that they want Key. They will get him. They wouldn’t hire an element like VI as a bounty hunter if he wasn’t that important. 

He could not attack us directly because of the barrier the professor created. But their stupid stealth project backfired. I will make sure to punch them all when i see them. Luna holds my hand, telling me that she is there. 

“ I thought he was okay, he drank water and he said he can eat, but he ended up vomiting. ” she explains and i just nod. Good thing Luna is an element, I had to practically drag her out of the palace to help me. 

“ thanks for helping me Luna. I appreciate it. ”

“ its really interesting to meet another element you know, but i prefer it if he did not want to kill me.” She looks at me and waits for me to talk. I haven’t told her the truth, that key is an empath. 

“ THANK You, that is all. ” she huffs but she knows i won’t tell her anything. Comfortable silence filled the room and Luna made herself busy by telling me that she must be going. She kisses me goodbye and I smile at her , pull her in a tight embrace.

It was always like this. Me & Luna. From the day her parents moved in with us in the manor when she was 6. His left when she was 8, and she was entrusted to me. It was an unspoken promise that I- Lee Jinki must look out for her. It was a normal thing for me to be his boyfriend, be her partner. 

“ take some rest onew. ” she advices just before she leaves me and I sink back to my chair. I cannot stay here for long. Im sure that the plan to trade the healer is now postponed. All because of the stunt we pulled off right there. I failed them. 

“ ONEWWWWWWWWWWW!!” I almost jump from my seat as I hear my name from across the room. Hongki is suddenly here, with his blonde hair and a bright green jumpsuit. 

“ liking the color??” he comes closer to me and i dramatically turn away. 

“ my eyes! My eyes! The color is too bright!”’

“ shut up Onew, i came here to give you a message.”

“a text or call would have been okay.” I reply but he dismisses me. He looks over at key and i guess he wants me to tell him everything. But i don’t. 

“ what’s the use of teleporting, if you can’t use it every minute of everyday?” he answers me back and hands me a letter. 

“ that’s your clearance. You can now talk to Lee Joon. ”

Eversince my cousin was captured, I was not allowed to see him. Partly because we are so close and the fact that he had become quiet dangerous. Almost 7 months had passed. 

“ well, go now! Hongki urged but i can’t. 

“ I have to guard him. ” I tilted my head towards the bed where Key is. 

“ Nah- i can handle this Onew. Go on, you have been waiting to get that clearance.”


This man can really be responsible sometimes. I give him a smile and hurry downstairs. I tell Luna that we will see each other back at the university. No time to spare, I have to see Joon. Right before he left the covenant, he told me that he discovered the truth about me. The truth about my power and he will find it from the resistance. He was particularly close to my father, unlike me- he is more outgoing and fun- always going with my father to his trips around the world. Joon was like his substitute son. Too bad, Because I- Lee Jinki was not enough. 

I finally arrive at The Palace and was greeted by a scowl from TOP. He was detained the whole day, answering to the officials about what we did. I am sure he wants to slam all of us to alaska and never see us again. 

“ that bad?” i ask lightly and he rolled his eyes at me and left. 

Presenting my clearance, I was let in. This facility is called ‘CAPSULE’ encasing all of the traitors from our race. Tiffany is here but I am immediately led to one cell. This is where he is. Opening the door, I see him after a long time. He did not change, although he is a bit skinnier. The light in his eyes is still there as he saw me enter. 

“ jinki - ” he greeted me calmly and walked towards the glass pane that separates us. 

“ hello.” I greet him and he pouts at me. 

“ you are blocking me Jinki, i cannot speak to you- ”

“ whatever you wanna say, you just have to speak up.” I reply coldly. 

Joon can able to communicate through his mind, telepathy. But I am able to block him from my mind from countless trainings ofcourse. 
‘yah – you are the only person that can block me when i wanna say something.” He complains and turns away from me. 

“ You know anything about the healer??”

He laughs at my question and relaxes for awhile. Joon must know something about this. When he was in the resistance, he was able to be included in their high ranks. Leaving our covenant in our senior year in high school. He did not even bother to get his diploma or pretend that its hard for him to leave us. Like my father, he was in a constant run to find the truth and the covenant is not giving that to him. He does not like the restrictions and the rules. What the resistance promised is paradise for him. Use your power however you want. 

“ do they have the healer already??”

“ No. They will trade him- but- ”

“ you don’t know when and where??”

“ we were able to come across seungri and he gave us something but i think its nothing.”

He whistled and turned to face me again. “you meet that crazy dude seungri? Im glad you are alive.”

“ I took Luna with me. ”

“ oh. Yeah-WIND girl. You still together?” he asks casually and for a moment, i miss talking to my cousin. You can’t just turn it off. For someone like me, who virtually do not have anyone in my life. Every person i can hold on to is important- but they seem to be all slipping away from me. 

“ yes. We still are. ”

“ good then. She’s a good girl. ”

Silence. We just stand there, waiting for the other one to talk or ask something. 

“ you know i can’t really communicate with them right? Someone put up a really strong barrier in here. But the healer is true, i have heard that its found. ”

So, its true then. 

“why did you leave us? ” Its the question ive been wanting to ask him eversince that day. We were all he knew. His family, how can he run off to a troupe of strangers. 

“ cause i wanted the truth. ” he states simply.

“ you found it in the resistance.”

“ no. ” he replies and i can feel the disappointment in his tone. But he continues. “ more truths led me to want to know more- it became this endless chase. ”

“ for what? ”

“ life and death.. the healer and the immortal one, Jinki- change is about to happen in our world and -”

Before he begins with his explanation, i cut him off. 

“ I never really cared about those, you know that- I just want us- the manor to be one again. ” Its my dream. One day, we can all go back to the manor like we used to. Clearly, that is impossible now as two of them is inside the capsule. 

‘ always the pure heart Onew, ’ he whispers and I walk away. 

“ you’re guarding that empath, aren’t you?”

My body went cold as the words left his lips. How did he know?

“what do you know about key?”

“ not much you know- i read his file awhile back. He is really interesting you know- not bonded with the covenant. Not a slave- ”

“ leave him alone- ” I finally say and he does not give up. 

“ they cannot leave him alone Jinki, no two people can have the same power- he has the same power as your father!!”

Its the fact that bothered me the most. How did he get my father’s ability? He told me that he was not like this when he was a little kid. That this power began when he turned a certain age. Was it transference? But why him? 

“see you again Joonie.” I answer him back and he just smiles. 

After One week
Key’s point of view 

“ what should i wear? The red one or black?” my smile widens with just looking at taemin’s flustered look. He tells me that Minho wants to have lunch with him. But I know that there is something about this relationship. I envy him though, he is hanging out with Minho not because of a pact they made. Taemin is still a bit pissed at me for what happened. Onew told me that Jonghyun and Minho took me to a bar and we were met with a car accident. Taemin did not talk to me for three days but he caved in at last. 

“ red one Taemin, it looks great on you.”

He sighs and puts it on, “ I don’t know why he asked me to go with him and pick out his clothes for the charity event. ”

I watch him as he fixes his hair, making alot of effort to make it look good. “ you have great sense of fashion- maybe that’s why.”

“ but he’s going with Hara.” He says this quietly and I keep my mouth shut. These past weeks, in between taking care of me, he also looked out for Minho. But Minho is stronger than me. They are good as new, unlike me, i still have bruises and burns. Add the fact that Onew is avoiding ever y chance for us to talk and Luna is here. 

Luna. 

God damn it. Why am i acting like a school girl? Ofcourse he has a girlfriend. Who happens to be a cool wind girl who saved me. That makes absolute sense. Thats how it is. If this was a fairytale, then maybe we can be together. Maybe, he can be remotely interested. But no. No. 

“ yah! He is already outside. I have to go! ” He stops and presents himself to me. “how do i look? ”

“ like a school girl going on his first date- ” I teased and he threw a pillow at me. He was gone. 

// 

I wave at Jino as he comes over to me as Im reviewing for an upcoming exam. Unlike Taemin, who is packed with stuff to do- I have none. I begged donghae to give me some time off for this exam, the Charity event will be next week and im sure he will kill us with work that time. 

“ Key! How did you do it? Donghae is going beserk in the auditorium! ” I hand him my untouched slice of cake and he gladly takes it. 

“ I have an exam, i will fail if i don’t study. And i promised i will work overtime next week.”

“ so, have you fixed your date for the auction?” he mocks me as he eats my cake. What a prick. But he’s a good friend most of the time actually. 

The auction. A person that will be auctioned should prepare a date for the person who buys him/her. For me, I organized a day at an amusement park. Its the happiest place for me, i don’t really care if she pukes on the rollercoaster. Its fun! 

“ amusement park, ” I tell him and i went back to reading my book. 

“ classy- ” he replies and slides the empty plate over to me. Just perfect. “so, you in speaking terms with Onew now?”

So, he came here to talk. That’s good. Jino is the only person I can talk too these days about what im feeling. I can’t talk to professor K, cause his advices are so crytpic it gives me headaches. TOP can kill me when he stares and Jiyong looks symphatetic. I can’t speak to jonghyun, cause i feel guilty that i can’t protect him. And Minho, well, we talk because of Taemin but its still awkward. 

“ No, he’s too busy with his girlfriend. ” I spat at him. 

“ ow! Thats not true, he is frequenting the palace in between university work. Its , its hard for him, the pressure- ” 

“ it is for me too, doesn’t he see that? Im stuck in this, whatever this is- this life that im suddenly in.”

Jino gives me a small smile. “ did you know that Onew’s father was the leader of the covenant? ”

I cringe at his words. I did not know about this fact. All that Jiyong told me was Onew was one of the important members of the covenant as well as his father. But he didn’t tell me that he is the leader. The one that died. Ambushed. I suddenly want to say im sorry, i don’t know much about him at all. 

“ Look Jino, i don’t know. Im grasping in the dark. What’s important is after what happened to us with VI- the threats stopped. Maybe i can go back to my old life?” i replied hopefully.

“ will your life ever be the same again? ” he asks me and i put down my book. 

“ Honestly? No. From that time i almost died in that library. And then again, a week ago. It won’t be the same again- I always look around- expecting someone to just jump and stab me.” My breathing is ragged and Jino holds my hand. 

“ i can only imagine, eversince I was born- This life is all I know. But you, you are suddenly pushed into a life with us. ”

“ Im not complaining, im happy that i have friends like you- but- ” I trail off and we let the conversation die down. I guess, only time can tell. I expected Onew to stop guarding me after the notes had stopped but he did not. He still has alot to do right? University stuff. Looking for VI and finding out were the healer will be traded off. I rack my brain. Onew is going through so much and im pissed at him hanging out with his girlfriend. How mature Kibum. 

“ where’s taemin? You okay right?” Jino speaks up, changing the subject. 

“ oh, yeah. He forgave me already, we’re okay. He’s with Minho now, picking out clothes for next week.” I say with a grin but Jino shifted in his chair. Did he not like their friendship? 

“ really? They are getting closer aren’t they?”

“ yeah. Its nice of minho to help out Taemin with his audition, I knew Hara had something up her sleeve. But its good now, Taemin got accepted. ” I sense the anticipation and unease from Jino. What does he want? 

“ what do you know about Taemin? ” he finally asks. 

“ we met here, first day of school and we got along. Add the fact that we live in the same place. Plus, he knows my cousin , they were classmates back in high school. ” I tell him the truth. This is all I know, I feel at ease with Taemin from the first time we met. Im happy that my university life is good. That I have one friend that I can trust. 

“ how about his family?”

“ i met his brother once. And his mom came here months ago to check in our house- she’s really pretty, like taemin.”

He is silent and is suddenly feel that he is relieved, but he is still thinking about something. 

“ okay. ”

I glare at him, “ Look, Taemin is a good person, you don’t have to worry about him hanging out with Minho or something.”

“ Its not that , No. Taemin, is like a friend to me too, but. ”

He stops and looks at his watch. 

“ donghae is gonna kill me! I told him i will meet him for the food tasting! Gotta fly!” he tells me and gets out with a huff. 

I get back to studying. 

Minho’s Point of View
Local Mall.

He tells me that the black one suits me really well. He even pick out a dark blue suit that is almost black then teases me by throwing a white suit at me. “ they all look good! Yah! ” he complains and I smile at him. I will take everything he hands me actually. Doesn’t matter, he can give me tattered jeans and the ugliest shirt and i will say that he has a good taste. 

Taemin, who are you? 

“ hey! Do you like this one?” he asks me and i nod. 

“ Hara is lucky to have you as a date. ”

“ ocourse she is.” I say this to him and he slaps me. I fake-cringe and he moves to the counter and I take out my credit card to pay for it. As soon as we walk out, he looks at the clothes on the windows and starts talking. 

“ you will be auctioned too right?”

“ yeah. I can’t say no to donghae hyung- he is my favorite after all.” I answer him and his hands dig deeper into his pockets. 

“ what date did you arrange?”

“ DINNER, an intimate one. Its my mom’s restaurant actually- by the beach.” I inform him and he still does not look at me. 

“ I heard hara really wants to buy you off, ” he tells me and I laugh. That won’t be possible, I asked my mother to donate money and Jonghyun will buy me off the auction. My mom does not care, its for charity anyway. But seeing Taemin this worried is amusing so i carry along. 

“ really? Well- she is a tough one to knock off – maybe she’ll end up to buy me.” 

I stop myself from laughing, he looks distraught and his mood changes. 

“ let’s hope that does not happen !” he smiles at me and we walk towards his favorite coffee shop. Maybe this is why he has so much energy, all the caffeine in his veins. They look alike. Except that he has brown hair and he loves coffee so much. He is stubborn as well and tries to protect himself though we all know he needs help. They have different personas but his face, his image. Its the same, 

“ hey! I said what do you want?” he asks me and i tell him to get me the same one he has.

I look closely at him and he glares. 

“ stop looking at me like that or i’ll kick you.” He threatens me and i smile. 

“ still ungrateful for what i did for you? ” 

His eyes are downcast and he sips his drink before answering me once more, 

“ WHY ME?” I cannot say that i don’t understand his question cause i do. But really, I cannot tell him the truth. Not right now, maybe not ever. What we have right now is enough for me anyway. 

“ what do you mean? ”

“ Why Me? Why are you so nice to me? ” He elaborates and i look out the window, 

“ You remind me of someone.“ I say this to him in almost a whisper and he seems like to ignore the words i said. But its the truth. 

//


Onew is eyeing me and Luna is trying to lighten the mood in the room by talking about her trip to Paris last month. Jino is not buying it though, so he just sulks with his school work. Jonghyun on the other hand is on my side, he is not talking and playing along with Luna’s stories. 

“ why don’t we go to europe next time? Just to unwind.” Jonghyun suggests, trying desperately to change the subject. 

“ that’s good, we could use some vacation” i reply and Onew stands up, looking straight at me and we all turn silent. This is it. We dismissed the conversation that first day Onew learned about Me and Taemin. 

“ MINHO, what are your intentions?”

I play dumb with him and i smile, “just a vacation dude, chill. ”

“ DROP IT PLEASE. ” He runs his hand through his hair and Luna starts to talk but Onew stops her. “I’ve seen Taemin before you did and i see the resemblance too. But we both know that he can never be- ”

“STOP.” I cut him off. 

“ Onew, i don’t think he wants to talk about it.” Jonghyun jumps to my defense but Onew does not stop. 

“ Minho, they are completely different people, stop chasing a ghost . ”

“ don’t you think i know that? I know that truth very well Onew, I remember it every in day.” I spit out the words at him and that silences him. 

“ I know that, ive noticed that they don’t act alike as well, but i can’t stop- i just can’t. ”

“ but we’re clear that he is Taemin . not- definitely not Taeyeon. She’s dead.”

His words are ringing in my ears. Ofcourse, that is the truth. Taeyeon died 2 years ago. Like us, she has a power. Hers is to see the future. But she neevr predicted this. I know that they are different. The obvious fact is Taeyeon is a girl and Taemin is a man. I think someone is ing this all up just so i can suffer some more. 

“ but he dreams of the manor Onew, ”

He turns to me in shock.

“ how does he know about the Manor??” Jonghyun asks, i haven;t told him about this. He is okay with me tagging along with Taemin. 

“ he tells me thta he can’t sleep well because of dreams, dreams that is not his own. He does not even remember the places but when he described it to me. Its the manor. ” I confess to them and Onew look as confused as ever. 

“ everyday, we keep getting too many questions and NO ANSWERS.” Onew’s hands clench and i understand him. We do not know anything at all. Nothing. 


Jonghyun’s POV

Too many questions have been running in my head for months now. Varying thoughts about the simplest things like, is my blonde hair still good? To the more complex ones like- how can i help save this town and the world?. No one is moving right now cause i just need some time. I wonder what will happen if I just stop the world forever, I should have done it in my junior year back in the Manor. Best days of my Life. No pressure from the Palace and we were all together. Sadly, I can only stop time up to a certain point. My limit is 5 minutes and only upto a certain radius of a room, like the university library. then after that I get really wobbly and i can’t even throw a decent punch. I let out the breath i’ve been holding and the place starts moving again. 

“ and then maybe you could sing for the entrance and before the event ends.” Donghae finishes his sentence and I smile at him. 

“ sure hyung, we prepared two songs for tonight. ”

“ oh! WONDERFUL! And you guys will be the last ones to be put on the bid.”

“ oh. Okay, i don’t think anyone will buy me though”. I grin at him and he rolls his eyes. Unlike minho who was able to bribe his mother into donating and saving him. Me, on the other hand. Im living it all up to fate. What’s the fun if you always know what will happen next? I am actually excited to see who will have the guts to buy me off. 

Onew is walking over to me and I wanna duck and hide. I love onew as a brother, but his gaze tells me that he wants to kill me from hiding Minho’s secret. I just can’t say no to the guy, he seems confused and happy at the same Time. When i first met Taemin, I was as surprised as Minho. He looks so much like Taeyeon but they have different personalities. And now, KEY. I feel like he hides it, but I know that he is an Empath. Like Jinki’s father.

I sometimes wonder why we met them. Out of all the people, why do we have to meet people that are connected to us? We spent our lives studying at places and interactign with normal beings. But now, at the height of the battle between the resistance and covenant- they suddenly waltz into our lives. Is this a blessing? A warning?

“ you better start talking Raptor.” Onew hissed at me. He is still mad at us for plotting behind his back. Plus, i heard he just seen Joon. 

“ what? I don’t know anything about Taemin okay, but the stuff that he dreams about. Its creepy, I wanna ask him about it though. ”

“ what will you ask? HEY TAEMIN, you look like my dead cousin- ” His voice is thick with sarcasm but i dismiss it. 

“ Look, that attitude is not exactly helping.” I snap back at him he calms himself. 

“ everything is just getting to me, The assignments with the covenant- i can handle that. But Key being an empath and Taemin- its just too much. ”

“ Let’s have a deal Onew, lets just enjoy tonight forget about everything. We need a break, to clear our head. Plus everyone is looking forward for us to play- we must be in a good mood.”

He finally smiles and agrees with me. Standing up, I make my way to my next class but I spot Taemin. He seems to have no classes as freshmen student are pretty much helping with the event. 

“ Taemin!”

The kid spots me and i strode towards him. He is holding a costume that is probably for a dance number and he smiles weakly at me. I bet a hundred bucks that he is self deprived. I feel sorry for him, freshmen year seems so tough for him. I understand why Minho is drawn to him. 

“busy day?”

“ apocalypse.” He replies and he walks, i follow him. So, he is designing for the stage too? I spot Key talking to donghae and walking on the stage. 

“ i feel sorry for you guys, but ive been there last year- its not pretty to be in that committee, set-up and all. ”

He plops down on a chair and takes out a drink. This is the time for me to look at him closely, he looks so much like my cousin. Taeyeon. How can that be? We are cousins and i don’t even have any resemblance to her. But this person, 

“ im excited for you band performance!” He tells me and i laugh,

“ really? We are too, but for a different reason.” We are excited to perform but then again, none of us are actually in the mood to do this. 

“Taemin, can i ask you a question?” he nods in assent and i indulge my curiosity. “ do you have a brother or a sister? ”

“ I have a brother, “ his eyes lit up and fishes for his wallet. Bringing out a picture of him and his little brother. It looks recent, like it was taken in his final year in high school. They don’t look alike. 

“ he looks lovely,” he replies.

“ i really miss him though. ”

“ this may sound personal, but i – minho told me about your dreams.” 

He is not surprised by this question as i expected him to be. 

“ what about them? I haven’t got to dream for the past nights. But some days when im extremely tired- i space out ”

Fiddling with his phone, i steady his hand and look at him. 

“ what do you see then?”

“ just this morning, i had this- its not even a dream! Im sure i was already awake, fixing my books.”

“ a vision then?” I offered, 

“ It was morning, I was in this place by the sea. A table was set, with candles and lights. ” He is blushing but he continues. “ and i can hear the violin play, and someone held my hand but before i can look. It was over. The dream was over.”

Minho and Taeyeon’s first date. I remember it too well, ofcourse- we were all there. Onew, me and Jino helped him set that up. Its his mother’s restaurant. Jino was flying everywhere, fixing the lights. Onew was helping in cooking. I on the other hand was for the moral support. I remember Minho practicing that violin piece. The candles on the table.

How the hell did Taemin know that much details? 

“ you must think im crazy,” he tells me but i quickly stood up. 

“ NO. I don’t think you are, but if something wrong happens Taemin, just tell me. ”

I exit the auditorium and make my way to Professor K. I need to know if its possible, if its possible to actually transfer your power to someone. If its possible to be reincarnated? I know my assumptions are dumber than the first one but this is too interesting. 

The faculty lounge is empty and I decide to put this meeting witht he professor next time. 

“ready?” Jino asks me as he tunes his guitar. 

“ yeah. I think I am- cause unlike you emo lot, i can handle one night of fun.” I did not mean to snap at him but i just need everything to go back. Although i have the power to stop time. I cannot rewind it or bring us to the future. All i can do is stop time, take a moment to accept what is done and what is about to happen. 

This is why i have this power, I guess. 

Luna arrive in out room with 4 pieces of suit, freshly pressed and Jino almost ran to her. 

“ thank you LUNA! Onew is in the shower. ”

She nods her head and sits on the sofa. Minho is quickly dressing up and i feel its because of Hara’s annoying calls. I on the other hand, I look damn good. 

“ narcissist.” Onew comments and smiles at me. 

“ is it wrong to love yourself huh Onew?”

Luna greets him and tells him that she has to dress up too. I look at them, they are comfortable around each other. I’ve never seen them fight or have any drama in them. They just clicked. Is that all there is, really? Im no empath, but i feel a storm is coming between them. 

“ I can’t believe this, we must wear this suits then change for the band performance.”

“ we have to attend the dinner first before the start of the concert event. So- ” 

I glance at the watch, the dinner is 6pm and we have to get ready. 

“ This is going to be fun! ”I hear Jino say and I must agree, this will be fun.